JUNE 2015

RAN G E F I N D E R

5 Fresh Ways to
Avoid Photo Clichés

Going the Extra Mile:

3 Wedding Adventures

Branding in
Hometown
Hot Spots

THE
DESTINATION Seeing The Light
Winners’ Gallery
WEDDINGS
ISSUE Portable Products
THE DESTINATION WEDDINGS ISSUE

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JUNE 2015/VOLUME 64 • NO. 6

PHOTO © KT MERRY

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 PROPRO
SHOOTER
SHOOTERJOEYJOEY
SKIBEL
SKIBEL
Skibel’s
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captivating
captivating journalistic
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eyeeye
creates
creates
stunning
stunning andand
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scenes
scenesto narrate
to narrate
each
each
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weddingstory.
story.
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marrying
marrying
hishis
expert
expert
lighting
lighting
andand
mastery
mastery
of composition,
of composition,
he he
develops
develops
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imagerywith
with
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detail,
achieved
achievedonlyonly
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thethe
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makinghimhimoneoneof the
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photographers
photographers in the
in the
world.
world.

‘This
‘This
photo
photowaswas taken
takenat aat a
photography
photography conference
conference wherewhere
I re-created
I re-createda studio
a studio environment.
environment.
I used
I used
a PENTAX
a PENTAX 90mm 90mm macromacro - -
oneoneof the
of the
sharpest
sharpest lenses
lenseson on
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allowed me me to to
shoot
shoot
everything
everything from from
a full-length
a full-length
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to atotight
a tight
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beauty shot.shot.
For For
lighting,
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est
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 HOW I GOT
THAT SHOT
RYAN BRENIZER STITCHES THE PERFECT PANORAMA
WITH THE PROFOTO B2 OCF OCTA SOFTBOX.
KIRSTEN AND JAMES
HAIL FROM ALBERTA,
and although they love
their hometown, they
were looking for the
cosmopolitanism of
New York City for their
engagement shoot. Even
during a wet December evening they were
upbeat, relaxed and up for anything.
They were initially a bit worried about the
weather forecast that day, but I am absolutely
obsessed with wedding-shoot logistics—
weather in particular—and told them that the
forecast actually called for the rain to stop
minutes before we were scheduled to start.
Not only would that clear out normally-packed
Central Park, but wet city streets at night
instantly provide a cinematic feel.
I spend my time translating a three-
Profoto_0615.indd 2
dimensional world into two-dimensional
images, so I am drawn to things that help pop
the subject back out: composition, color shifts
and lighting. For this shoot, I set up the Profoto
B2 with a OCF Softbox 2’ Octa for a more
beautiful wrap-around light than the hot-shoe
flash soft boxes we often use. However, this
setup presented a problem: We wanted to light
close to maximize the 2-foot octagonal soft box,
but I wanted to do a wide shot, specifically a
many-image panorama.
I solved the issue with what is known as the
“Brenizer Method,” in which I light the central
subject in one frame, then instruct my assistant
holding the light to move out of the way before
I shoot frames on that side. The method has
obvious advantages in insanely shallow depth-
of-field, and it allows us to create a lighting
composite effect with absolutely no Photoshop
layering work—just a panorama stitch.
ADVERTISEMENT
PHOTO© RYAN BRENIZER
Creating a 60-image panorama and
having the light move between shots is pretty
advanced stuff, but I’ve been having fun
practicing it for awhile. We also kept the light
extremely dim so that we could bring out the
balance of the lights on the wet pathway. The
final image captures the bokeh street lights, the
wet cobblestones, and even the blush of the
evening sky, setting Kirsten and James against
the perfect Central Park scene.
To learn more about the Profoto Off-Camera
Flash System and to see the video with Ryan
Brenizer, please visit www.profoto.com/
offcameraflash
Top: Brenizer’s 60-image panorama captured a
nighttime Central Park scene. Opposite Page:
Brenizer used a similar setup for a single shot of
Kirsten and James against the LOVE sculpture just
south of the park.
5/12/15 10:51 AM
 TIPS &
TRICKS
TURNING CHALLENGES INTO
AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
BEAUTIFUL IMAGES.

1
THE INVERSE SQUARE LAW IS
YOUR BEST FRIEND. When a light
moves closer, it becomes more powerful,
but the quality of the light changes, too,
becoming softer with a more dramatic
fall-off effect.

2
WHEN LIGHTING A MAN AND
WOMAN FACING TOWARD EACH
OTHER, aim the light at the woman—not
just because she spent more on makeup,
but because our visual culture makes
most men’s faces a lot more forgiving
under short lighting.

3
LEARN THE BASICS of what a
light or a modifier is meant to do, then
experiment with it. You may find you like
it for an entirely different purpose

FIRST FIGURE OUT YOUR

PHOTO© RYAN BRENIZER

4
SUBJECTS’ PLACEMENT, then work
on their posing. If her chin needs to be
high to catch the light, ask yourself why
would someone be standing with a high
chin. The best lighting in the world won’t
work if the pose is unflattering or doesn’t
make sense.

BEHIND THE SCENES LIGHTING SETUP

2 FT.

SUBJ ECTS

P RO FOTO B2
OCF S O FTBOX
2 ’ O CTA
(REMOVED AFTER
FIRST SHOT)

CAMERA

Brought to you by

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Profoto_0615.indd 3 5/12/15 11:11 AM

 CONTENTS
June 2015 Vol. 64 No. 06

D E S T I N AT I O N W E D D I N G S
44
44
Going the Extra Mile
Saddling up for clients with
adventurous nuptials.
B Y JAC K C RAG E R

50
Avoiding Local Clichés
How to not ruin a beautiful destination
with overused concepts.
BY L IN D S AY CO M STO C K

56
Destination: Hometown
Becoming a must-have destination
shooter in your own backyard.
B Y BL A IR D E L AU B E N F E L S

F E AT U R E S

34
Photographer You Should Know
Dean Bradshaw’s journey from zoologist to
conceptual commercial shooter.
BY L IB B Y P E T E RS O N

40
Tips & Tricks
Booking the $10K wedding.
BY SCOT T RO B E RT L IM

67
Seeing the Light Winners’ Gallery

76
Rock Steady
The Olympus OM-D EM-5 Mark II
banishes blur with a brawny build.
BY G RE G S CO B L E T E

78
A Portable Powerhouse
Why the Nikon D5500 is one of the best
all-around cameras on the market.
B Y TO N Y N O RT H RU P
PHOTO © JONAS PETERSON

PICTURED: Jonas Peterson captured a three-

day wedding ceremony in Bali, including this
image of the bride, Elora, in a dress made of
fresh Jasmine flowers.

6 R ANG E F I NDE R J UN E 2 015

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 Myth:
Professionals don’t use
mirrorless cameras.

Image shot with the Olympus OM-D E-M1

with the M.Zuiko 75mm f2.0 lens
by Olympus Trailblazer, Tracie Maglosky

Fact: You can run your entire business

with the OM-D E-M1 system and lenses.
With a 16MP image sensor, the world’s most powerful 5-Axis Image Stabilization
system and a huge array of lenses for blazing-fast Auto Focus speeds, the portable
E-M1 is the only camera system your business needs. It can do it all—at a fraction
of the weight of a DSLR. Get all the details at getolympus.com/myths.

GET POWER. GET PORTABLE. GET OLYMPUS.

To request more information see page 95

E-M1

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TF21103_15-OLY-009-147P_EM1-WEDDING-501A-Rangefinder.indd 1 4/3/15 1:27 PM
 CONTENTS

FOCUS

20
News, Products and Exhibits
The return of Victoria Will, Dennis
Orchard and the disposable
camera.
B Y L I B B Y P E T E RS O N

26
What’s in Your Bag?
A portrait artist’s essentials.
B Y P E T E R HU RL E Y

28
Light Reading
Taking aim at a moving target.
B Y J I M CORN FI EL D

30
Wedding of the Month
Blissful beauty in Normandy.
B Y J E S S I CA GOR D O N

COLUMNS

10
From the Editor
B Y JACQU E L I N E TO B I N
34
12 PHOTO © DEAN BRADSHAW
From the Director
B Y JA S ON GROU PP 32 86 92
From the Cubicle Digital Guru DSLR Video
14 Traveling the world (while The NAB report. Stabilizers for silky-smooth
Rf Conversations staying sane). BY J O H N RET T IE moves.
COM P I L E D B Y RF STAF F B Y JAS O N GRO UP P BY IBA RIONE X PE RE LLO
88
18 80 First Exposure 95
Editor’s Pick: Art Streiber Product Roundup Editing in the mobile era with Ad Index
B Y L I B B Y P E T E RS O N 10 tools to take with you. Apple’s Photos.
B Y TH EANO NIK ITAS BY STAN SH O LIK 96
PHOTO © LOGAN COLE PHOTOGRAPHY On My Radar
All in order.
BY KRISTINA FE LIC IA NO

30

86
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O N TH
2 015
2 015

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 To request more information see page 95

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 FROM THE EDITOR

When it comes to shooting destination weddings, the

world is pretty much your oyster. Whether you are hired
PHOTO © SUE BRYCE

to travel to places like Bali, Iceland, Santa Barbara or even ®

Nantucket, the opportunities abound for stellar images
and unique backdrops. You just may need to travel a EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJacqueline Tobin
Jessica Gordon
bit off the beaten path to find them, and once you do, a fresh approach SENIOR EDITOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Libby Peterson

makes all the difference. In this issue, expert photographers offer examples SENIOR TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Greg Scoblete
of ways to avoid the typical “couple under a palm tree” portrait from CONTRIBUTING EDITOR John Rettie

yesteryear, as well as a look into the latest photo fad—adventure weddings ART DIRECTOR Kelly O’Leary
GROUP PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Daniel Ryan
(think camping in the mountains, feasting in a jungle and everything in PRODUCTION MANAGER Gennie Kiuchi

between). We wanted to include photographer Charleton Churchill in CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lindsay Comstock, Jim Cornfield, Jack Crager, Blair
this issue but his Mt. Everest base camp shoot was set to take place after deLaubenfels, Kristina Feliciano, Jason Groupp, Peter
Hurley, Scott Robert Lim, Theano Nikitas, Tony Northrup,
closing the issue. Then Nepal was hit with it’s worst quake in 80 years, and Ibarionex Perello, John Rettie, Stan Sholik

we were just praying for Charleton to make it back home safe and sound. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GIFT & HOME, PHOTO AND JEWELRY
Christopher McCabe
The good news is, he did, and the bride and groom even managed to SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PHOTO AND JEWELRY GROUPS
John McGeary (646) 668-3736
tie the knot before leaving Nepal. If you have an VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER, PHOTO+
Lauren Wendle (646) 668-3762
extreme wedding you want featured on our blog, Mark Brown (646) 668-3702
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

email me! (And don’t forget to check out the SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Lori Reale (858) 204-8956
winners from our Seeing The Light contest.) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Jon McLoughlin (646) 668-3746
Enjoy! Dennis Tyhacz (646) 668-3779
DIRECTOR OF SALES, PHOTO+ SHOWS
Mike Gangel (646) 668-3717

—jacqueline tobin, editor-in-chief Mike.Gangel@emeraldexpo.com

jacqueline.tobin@emeraldexpo.com | rangefinderonline.com For subscription information and customer service, call:

(866) 249-6122 or locally, (847) 763-9546

Rangefinder, P.O. Box 2198, Skokie, IL 60076

Rangefinder@halldata.com

For list rental information contact:

Mike Gangel (646) 668-3717

OPERATIONS MANAGER Neeta Lakhani

MARKETING DIRECTOR Michael Zorich
ON THE COVER
A P UBLICAT IO N OF
“We arrived very early the morning after Julie
and Eric’s wedding to shoot on the Trocadéro
prior to tourists arriving,” KT Merry explains.
“Just as we started to shoot it began to rain, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND PRESIDENT David Loechner
and shortly thereafter the tourists arrived in CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND TREASURER Philip Evans
flocks. I shot quickly and as the low clouds CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Bill Charles
VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY DavidGosling
began to move in, just before capturing this
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Lori Jenks
image, I decided to switch to black-and-white SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL Teresa Reilly
PHOTO © KT MERRY

film due to the flat light. It made for a much VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING SERVICES Joanne Wheatley

more dramatic shot.” VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Eileen Deady

VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE OPERATIONS Denise Basham

Read how Merry and others put a new spin on

Rangefinder is a trademark owned exclusively by Emerald
typical destination shots, starting on page 50. Expositions, LLC Copyright © 2015 Emerald Expositions, LLC.
All rights reserved.

PHOTOGRAPHER: KT Merry CAMERA: Contax 645 LENS: Zeiss FOCAL LENGTH: 80mm Rangefinder Magazine
85 Broad Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10004
EXPOSURE: 1/250th at f/2.0 ISO: 200 LOCATION: The Trocadéro in Paris, France
(646) 668-3700

10 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 To request more information see page 95

x_RF_0615_Millers_ads.indd
Millers Rangefinder MAY15.indd 11 5/4/2015 12:00
4/15/15 PMAM
11:11
 FROM THE WPPI DIREC TOR

It’s been two and a half years since I swapped the environment of my
Chelsea studio for the world of an office space in lower Manhattan. While
I love my co-workers, and at the risk of getting myself in trouble by saying
this, lately I’ve found myself needing more excuses to wander outside.
PHOTO © PETER HURLEY

Fast-forward to me taking extended lunches on the waterfront by my

work building with my laptop in tow. While I know I can get away with this
for only so long, this “change of scenery” is helping me get recharged
after a long winter. Speaking of getting recharged, we are just a few weeks
from opening registration for PhotoPlus Expo, and I’m stoked for this year’s lineup. If you’ve never
been to NYC in October for WPPI’s sister show, I highly recommend it! We’re also working on some
very different plans for the future of WPPI, and while change is hard, it’s too easy to get into a rut.
This summer I challenge you to try something new. I suggest taking a long
walk along the South Street Seaport—but for those of you who aren’t based in
Manhattan, shoot me an email and let me know the creative ways you find to
break up the daily grind.
JASON GROUPP
WPPI Director of Education and Membership
Jason.Groupp@emeraldexpo.com
(646) 668-3722

12 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 Focal length: 16mm Exposure: F/11 1/2 sec ISO200 © Ken Hubbard

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 RF CON V ERSATIONS

“Just got my April issue the of ficial blog of Rangefinder and WPPI

of Rangefinder and would like to

suggest you make the pages waterproof as I have
drooled all over page 24 viewing TAMARA LACKEY’S
camera collection…I’m pretty sure my house cost less!”
IN RESPONSE TO “AF CALIBRATION MADE
—JOHN DECKER
EASY (AND INEXPENSIVE)”
(BIT.LY/1GQKL6B)

Eric: Pretty easy to set it up in a minute, no

Wedding of the Week previously featured on photoforward

sweat at all, comparing it to the other LensAlign
where I had to set up the pieces. Focus Pyramid
is done in seconds, right back into the storage
envelope. It took less than an hour to get all
my Nikon lenses’ alignment corrected with my
D810 and DF. I’m impressed.

Denise: I loved the concept/idea, but hated the

product. It is made of flimsy cardboard. The one
I received in the mail was bent. It made it hard
to focus on properly due to being bent. If it was
plastic I would highly recommend it.

IN RESPONSE TO “HOW’S IT GOING?

A POST-WPPI CHECK-IN”
(BIT.LY/1IRIZLL)

David Hakamaki: Look at your notes and start

implementing two to three ideas; have a plan
to implement more over the next six to nine
months and evaluate how those have worked—
either tweak them or try something different.
Then determine what you need to do to make
your business better (be brutally honest) and
start thinking about courses to take at WPPI
2016. It is never too early to start planning.
IN RESPONSE TO “BOOK LOVERS HITCHED IN NEW YORK CITY,
+ photoforwardblog.com
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STREGOICA” (bit.ly/1daFszG)
Bob: It would be a lot of fun to photograph a wedding in New York. Even with
the tight spaces Dina was faced with she pulled it off! GREAT JOB!

We ran the incorrect image

CORRECTIONS FROM RF APRIL
to accompany our write-up
of the Hensel Expert D 250
We erroneously printed on page 38 that Nick Fancher uses a
Speed (“10 Lights for Any
Canon 70-700mm f/4L lens—he uses a Canon 70-200mm f/4L
Occasion,” pg. 72). This is the
lens. Thank you to Glenn Weissel for pointing out the error, and
correct image, along with the current URL:
we’re sorry for letting you think for a moment that there was such
Hensel.eu.en. Our apologies to Hensel
a telephoto lens that exists!
and Chimera for the error.

14 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 4K VIDEO + HD STILLS.
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— William Innes, Hybrid Photographer
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Tracking Full Area AF, plus simultaneous 8.8-MP HD photo frame capture adds
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© William Innes #LUMIXLounge

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 Exceptional Images
Deserve an Exceptional Presentation
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 EDITOR ’S PICK

18 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 The Double Act
By Libby Peterson

I’ll admit it: this photo partly caught my

attention because Veep, the political satire
on HBO, is one of my favorite shows right
now, and I love almost anything Julia
Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale have ever
done. But there’s something else about
the joint portrait, taken for The New York
Times Magazine by Art Streiber, a seasoned
entertainment portrait photographer who’s
shot his fair share of personalities, including
Will.i.am, Jimmy Kimmel and Rod Stewart,
among many others. This time Streiber was
tasked with shooting a hilariously complex
platonic relationship—between the Type-A
go-getter Selina Meyer (Louis-Dreyfus)
and her eager-to-please “bag boy” Gary
Walsh (Hale)—that is a “singularly awkward,
brutal, tender, nonromantic romance,” as
the NYT Magazine writer Sam Anderson
describes. Streiber paired what sounds like
an emotionally complicated assignment
with a simple concept. “I wanted Hale to be
subsumed by Louis-Dreyfus, I wanted her
to smother him affectionately and feel his
desperate attempt to cling to her,” he says.
“Placing him just below her emphasizes
their inequality and putting them both in
black turtlenecks melds them into one.”
Shot with a Hasselblad H4X paired with
Profoto strobes, Streiber sprinkles in just
enough dynamism to reflect the comical yet
heartwarming dysfunction.

+ artstreiber.com
PHOTO © ART STREIBER

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 19

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 FOCUS
BY L I B BY P E T E R S O N
INDUSTRY NEWS
A Return for Round Two
After having shot celebrity tintypes for the first time at
Sundance last year, Victoria Will returned this time around
with a streamlined workflow and lighting setup in place.
But her experience this year wasn’t without hurdles: Being
eight months pregnant at the time, Will couldn’t get near
any of the toxic chemicals used to develop the plates, so
she enlisted the help of Penumbra Foundation to give her a
hand—allowing her to focus on the portraiture.
Among the many stars who walked through her studio doors
this year was none other than the festival’s brainchild: Robert
Redford. “I knew I wouldn’t have much time with someone so
in demand, so I was ready with plates the moment he walked
in,” she says. “In the end, I made two plates and he was out
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the door—a whirlwind, but a dream come true!”
This was Redford’s first sitting (top left) with Will, but she
also saw some familiar faces: “It’s always very rewarding
when a subject comes in and says, ‘I love the shot you took
of me last year,’ and that is exactly what happened when
Jason [Schwartzman, top right] walked in,” Will says. “Since
we had made one plate together already, we reached for
the props this time. It’s always so great to have a willing and
PHOTOS © VICTORIA WILL
collaborating subject.” See our Video of the Week post on
PhotoForward for details on her gear and Profoto lighting
setup: bit.ly/1Hfx3G7.
+ www.victoriawill.com
5/7/15 11:33 AM
5/15/2015 10:58 AM
 © YERVANT

NEW:
THE PROFOTO OFF-CAMERA
FLASH SYSTEM
“I hadn’t enjoyed using flash for many years. The
ones I tried were either too bulky or too restraining.
The Profoto Off-Camera Flash System has changed that.
Now, I can move around freely, follow the inspiration and
control the light in whatever situation I may find myself.
For me, it feels like the beginning of something new.”
- Australian wedding photographer Yervant

See the world’s best photographers using Profoto Off-Camera Flash

on profoto.com/offcameraflash

Profoto US | 220 Park Avenue, Florham Park NJ 07932 | PHONE (973) 822-1300, profoto.com/us

To request more information see page 95

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W P P I M E M B E R S P OT L I G H T

Dennis Orchard Bounces Back

It’s been almost a year since Dennis Orchard—a seasoned wedding photographer
well loved within the photo community—had his life-threatening cycling accident.
He sustained multiple serious injuries after the front brakes on his bike failed while
going downhill: a fracture on the back of his skull, dislocation of all ribs on his right
side, four broken vertebrae and a perforated kidney. Having been found by a local
resident who called emergency services, Orchard is convinced his outcome would
have been far worse had it not been for the swiftness of the Air Ambulance crew
that was able to facilitate immediate medical attention and whisk him off to a nearby
hospital where he was placed in an induced coma for two and a half weeks.
After another two and a half weeks of rehabilitation, Orchard was back at it; he
returned to his mentoring work with WPPI’s U.K. affiliate SWPP in early August and
shot his first wedding in early September (plus six subsequent weddings throughout
2014). He’s also kept busy with his other diversified projects, including shooting for
art galleries and apartment refurbishment companies. Though an illness kept him
from attending WPPI in Las Vegas earlier this year, he is intent on returning in 2016.
As a previously recurring 16 x 20 print comp judge and chair—plus being one of five
photographers honored with the Triple Master designation—he is sure to receive a
warm welcome back.
PHOTO © KIM BYRNE

+ www.dennisorchard.com

LIGHTING

Broncolor FT System
Broncolor’s new FT parabolic lighting system offers a little something for
everyone. It uses a dimmable and adjustable focusing rod to spread light
throughout a parabolic reflector. The continuous light (available in either 1,600W
HMI or 2,000W Tungsten heads) is adjusted using a series of interchangeable
focus tubes that sit inside the umbrella. You can choose a softer, wider diffusion
or a more focused, spotlight-style beam simply by sliding the focusing rods. For
the still photographer, the dimmable, flicker-free performance of the HMI FT1600
aids high-speed exposures. The HMI’s color rendering index scores a high 95,
so color accuracy is assured. Four of Broncolor’s parabolic reflectors will work
with the new focusing rods and lights, including two new reflectors developed
specifically for the system.

prices: $3,500-$6,200 (various kits)

+ www.bron.ch

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 Peel
Press
Finish
Professional-grade
self-adhesive
mount board
.. Increases photo value

.. Easy do-it-yourself process

Custom sizes available

. Online how-to videos

Also available in heat activated

Call today for FREE SAMPLES

866.473.2580 pacificmount.com
To request more information see page 95

New!
Maple Wood Prints
Jennifer George

LIGHT METER

Lumu:
A New Illuminating Tool
Photographers who deal chiefly with ambient light might appreciate the Lumu, a little half-
sphere gadget that’s designed to convert an iPhone into an incident light meter. With a Warm, Natural & Eco Friendly!
measuring range of .15 to 250,000 lux, it also sports temperature compensation and infrared
Learn more at bayphoto.com/wood-prints
rejection. No batteries are required for the .94 x .78-inch Lumu, which plugs into an iPhone’s
jack and then can be snapped onto the included necklace cord or slipped into the leather
case when not in use. As of now, the Lumu works only with iOS devices (iOS6 or newer), and
it works with the accompanying Lumu Photo, Video and Pinhole apps, which are all free.

prices: $129 (silver); $149 (black)

+ lumu.eu
To request more information see page 95

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B AG S & S T R A P S

Toting Luxury Leather

In the small northeastern Italian town of Bassano del Grappa, craftsmen are putting the finishing touches on a new
group of stylish bags and accessories for photographers. Named after those “you entrust with your own skin,” Barber
Shop Bags uses real Italian leather and, in an effort to ensure attention to detail and personalization, offers name or
initial inscription on any item. The bags range from the Pageboy (fitting one DSLR, an additional lens, a mini iPad and
small accessories) at 10.4 x 6.3 x 3.4 inches to the Mop Top (which can tote two DSLRs, three additional lenses, a 17-
inch laptop and accessories) at 12.2 x 16.5 x 6.7 inches. Barber Shop also makes shoulder and wrist straps as well as
single and double bridles—most notably the vegetable-tanned leather Sideburns, which can hold two cameras at a
time, a product surely made with the wedding photographer in mind.

prices: hand/wrist straps, $64-$75; bridles, $151-$484; bags, $260-$761

+ www.barbershopbags.com

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APP

Bringing Back the

Disposable Camera
The photo world has been revisiting film photography with a vengeance, and now
with Photojojo’s new app, Disposable Camera, every ‘90s vacationer’s best friend is
making its way back into the mainstream. The app makers were determined to keep
this experience as authentic as possible; once Disposable Camera is downloaded on a
smartphone, the user takes 27 photos via the app—there’s no going back and deleting—
which are then automatically sent to Photojojo’s printer. Ten business days later, the
photos arrive in 4 x 6, full-bleed, thick matte card stock form (right).

price: free ($12.99 for 27 prints)

+ www.photojojo.com

To request more information see page 95

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W H AT ’ S I N YO U R B AG?

Peter Hurley
Before becoming a portrait
and headshot photographer,
I spent my early days as a
professional model. That training
forced me to not only understand
the subtleties of the human face
that go into shooting a successful
portrait, but also the technical
aspects of photography. Of course
I have my favorite gear I can’t do
without, but the secret to taking
an epic headshot is about making
subjects feel comfortable enough
in front of the camera that they let
their juice shine through. When you
can get someone to behave like the
camera’s not there, that’s when their
inner beauty comes out.

Peter Hurley is a portrait

photographer based in NYC. He
teaches at his Headshot Intensive
workshops hosted in select cities
throughout the world as well as on
headshotcrew.com, a site dedicated
to building the largest network of
portrait photographers in the world.
He can also be found on Kelby
Training and speaks at various events
within the photography community.
PHOTO © PETER HURLEY

PETER’S GO-TO GEAR (above, from left to right, starting with the top row)
ROW 1 (TOP ROW)
• Giottos Rocket Blaster
Dust-Removal Tool
(Medium, Black)
• Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L
Macro IS USM Lens
• Lens hood for Canon
100mm Macro
• Lens hood for Canon
24-70mm
• Lens hood for Canon
135mm
• Lens hood for Canon
70-200mm
ROW 2
• Sennheiser EW112-p G3
Camera Mount Wireless
Microphone System with
ME2 Lavalier Mic (x2) • Eyelash curler from • Canon EF 135mm f/2L • Canon LP-E6 Battery
• Canon EF 24-70mm Sephora USM Lens Charger
f/2.8L II USM Lens • Canon EF 70-200mm • Peter Hurley Thumb • Tether Tools TetherBoost
• Peter Thomas Roth Max f/2.8L IS II USM Lens Drives (8GB each) Core Controller
Anti-shine Matifying Gel • Bose SoundLink Mini • Canon EOS 5D Mark III • Tatcha Japanese beauty
• alm mCAMLITE Mount Bluetooth Speaker DSLR Camera x2 papers
with Wide Angle & • GoPro HERO3+ Black • Apple adapter • Allen Key
Macro Lens for iPhone 6 Edition Camera (Thunderbolt to Firewire • Tripod adapter plates
• WD 2TB My Passport • Tether Tools 15-foot 8000)
Wireless TetherPro USB 3.0 Male • Apple adapter ROW 6
• WD 1TB My Passport Air A to Micro-B Cable (Hi- (Thunderbolt to VGA) • PocketWizard Cables
Portable Hard Disc Drive Visibility Orange) • RØDE VideoMic Pro
ROW 5 Compact Shotgun
ROW 3 ROW 4 • PocketWizard MultiMAX Microphone
• Think Tank Photo Pixel • Profoto Air Remote • PocketWizard Plus ll • X-Rite i1Display Pro
Pocket Rocket Memory TTL-C for B1 Air (Canon Transceiver • Cullinator controller
Card Carrier E-TTL) • Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II • Lexar Professional USB
• Vello Three-Axis Hot- • Profoto Air Sync USM Lens 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader
Shoe Bubble Level Transceiver • Shabang! Button (UDMA 7)

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 To request more information see page 95

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 FOCUS

LIGHT READING

Taking Aim at a Moving Target

BY J I M CO R N F I E L D

The Copyright Zone Enlightened Blooms:

A Legal Guide for Photographers and Artists in the Digital Age Solarized Floral Diptych Photographs
by edward c. greenberg, j.d., and jack reznicki by brad oliphant, foreword by russell hart
focal press | 342 pp. glitterati inc. | 160 pp.

Copyright, the cornerstone safeguard of all intellectual
property, is the only “right” actually mentioned in the main
body of the Constitution. Consider how much more amazing
it is that so few of us whose work hinges on this to protect
the fruits of our labor, know next to nothing about how it is
secured and safeguarded.
The Copyright Zone, by attorney Edward Greenberg and
photographer Jack Reznicki, is a reader-friendly, comprehensive
approach to a subject that—let’s face it—creative people are less
likely to easily digest. In the digital universe especially, where access to everyone’s
photographs can be wildly unfettered, registration is not suggested, Greenberg and
Reznicki write—it’s obligatory. The book explains terms such as “fair use” and institutions
like Creative Commons that can victimize unwary photographers. It’s a dangerous
world, the authors warn, and protection of creative work has become a moving target.
The Copyright Zone can help to keep you from becoming a target yourself.
price: $34.95
+ www.focalpress.com
PHOTO © JACK REZNICKI
If there’s one decorative motif
you can always count on in a
wedding scenario, it’s flowers,
and among us are shooters who
revere these short-lived natural
wonders.
Brad Oliphant, celebrated
fashion and fine-art
photographer, has put together
an interesting bouquet mixing floral close-ups with the
functions of the Filter-Stylize-Solarize pull-down menu
sequence in Photoshop. This takes a bit of nerve, but when
applied to the abstract loops and gyrations of floral close-
ups, and combined with Oliphant’s carefully manipulated
desaturation, the results can be artful. It’s this photographer’s
current passion, on dazzling display in the 74 shots paired
as diptychs throughout the book, that make up Enlightened
Blooms. If you ever have to deal with flowers (and if you’re
a wedding shooter, it’s an inescapable reality of your trade),
you need to see this amazing collection.

price: $55
+ glitteratiincorporated.com

The Memory of Time

by sarah greenough and andrea nelson
thames & hudson | 162 pp.

The eclectic images in The

Memory of Time—whose
exhibit will be on view at the
National Gallery of Art through
September 13—are loaded with
stimulating ideas. The cover
image, Chuck Close’s portrait
of silhouette artist Kara Walker,
is a Daguerreotype, exploring
Walker’s own recurrent theme
of racial stereotyping and its cultural associations with
the cut-out paper silhouette. This book documents an
important collection of elaborate technical and creative
ABOVE: Copyright mavens Edward Greenberg and Jack Reznicki appear in their own achievements.
book to make the unsubtle point that they’ve talked up copyright registration to
us until they’re “blue in the face,” and now they’re holding their breath until we do price: $50
something about it. + thamesandhudsonusa.com

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 Image by Karen Goforth

your new best friend

our designer metals stand out
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as an industry leader in innovation and vision for printing on metal.

Innovative. Incredible prices. New sizes and finishes.

H&H Color Lab I www.hhcolorlab.com I 1-800-821-1305

To request more information see page 95

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PM
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RF WEDDING OF THE MONTH

Blissful Beauty
A Finnish groom marries a Norwegian bride in northern France; radiance ensues.
BY J E S S I C A G O R D O N

ALL PHOTOS © LOGAN COLE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHER: Logan Cole COUPLE: Samuel and Hildegunn LOCATION: Private residence in Normandy, France
CAMERAS: Two Canon 5D Mark IIIs and a 5D original LENSES: Canon 24mmL f/1.4, 35mmL f/1.4, 50mmL f/1.2, 85mmL f/1.2,
70-200mmL f/2.8, 45mm f/2.8 and a tilt shift LIGHT: Canon 580EX II Speedlite COMMENTS: “The venue/house itself was
insane and huge, and everything in the north of France is beautiful,” Cole says. “Your mind starts to run with all
you can do and shoot. You really have to focus and not become distracted in environments like this.”

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 FOCUS

Groom Samuel Taipale and his

brother, Daniel, are established
photographers in their own
right—how did Logan Cole handle
the added pressure of shooting
fellow photographers?

“I struggle whenever I photograph

other photographers’ weddings
because I’m constantly worried I’m
not talented enough or won’t live
up to their expectations,” Cole says.
“I just have to remind myself they
have chosen me for a reason. I need
to be myself, do what I do and never
hold back.”

+ www.photoforwardblog.com
Category: Wedding of the Week

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 FROM THE CUBICLE BY JASON GROUPP

Traveling the World

(While Staying Sane)
As photographers, hopping on a plane for a
client shoot at a moment’s notice is just what
we do. Sometimes we make it look like we
have glamorous lives, jet-setting across the globe. Don’t
get me wrong, I’ve had a ton of amazing experiences
over the years, but unfortunately, I’ve also had some
horrible ones. I asked Susan Stripling (who’s shot many
destination weddings) for her thoughts: “Yes, it seems
glamorous to travel places you’ve never been before,”
she says, “but what happens when a customs agent
decides to turn you around and send you home? How
much will that cost you in lost revenue? Remember, a
wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event!”
With that in mind, here’s how I plan for wedding
travel. Every situation requires proper preparation.

MAKE LISTS AND PLAN AHEAD. Even if it

1
seems like the same job you’ve done a
thousand times, make a list regarding your trip. Top of
the list should include how much clothing you need,
including proper attire. I’m a stickler for blending in
with the crowd, and wedding attire differs nationally
and internationally. Find out what kind of clothing the
guests wear; if you need to, go shopping.

TIP: Go with travel sizes for everything and put it all

in a Ziploc bag (you don’t need that fancy bag; it’s
heavy and takes up a lot of room). Nothing will weigh
down your suitcase more than toiletries, especially
when you’re running through an airport to catch your
connecting flight. Two essential amenities, though: a
stain stick and Febreze. They’re worth the extra weight,
but I suggest you keep them in your camera bag.

THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT PACKING GEAR.

2
I always start with my wish list and then drop
things out as I plan. Things that usually don’t make
the cut: specialty lenses (but think this one through
carefully; you don’t want to leave something home
that defines your work) and extra speed lights. I always
pack extra batteries (I prefer lithium—they’re lightweight
and last longer—but check with the airline’s limitations
PHOTO © KAREN SEIFERT

because you can only carry so many), cords and cables,

of course, in case disaster strikes and I can’t get more
on the fly. I’ve found that most small tripods can fit in
a small overhead suitcase with your clothes (but don’t
forget the baseplate—I always seem to leave it behind!)
ABOVE: On my way to shoot a wedding in Costa Rica.

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 TIP: Carry a body and lens over your shoulder on to the plane. That
will give you a little more room in your bag, and does not count
as a carry-on item (in my experience). This also gives me peace of
mind just in the off chance I have to check my gear bag. Of course, I
wouldn’t want to shoot a job that way, but I suppose it’s better than
nothing, right? (Props to Ben Chrisman for this tip, by the way!)
3
BE SAVVY ABOUT AIR TRAVEL. Upgrade your seat so you can
queue earlier—you need that guaranteed overhead space! I
travel with one bag for clothes and the other for gear, but I have been
in situations where both had to be carried on board. An upgrade to a
premium economy seat is worth the money. I always tell my clients this
is a must-purchase as part of my contract.
TIP: Check the type of plane you’ll be on. Does it even allow for
overhead storage? This is one of the most common mistakes I’ve
found photographers will make. You might otherwise have to check
your bags, which can be disastrous if you haven’t planned for #4.
4 HAVE A DOOMSDAY PLAN. You never know if you’ll be
separated from your gear. I’ve had gear stolen, lost and
damaged before heading home with my photos, but there’s no
MITROS+
FLASH TRIGGER
To request more information see page 95
OmegaBrandess_Phottix0615_FINAL.indd 1
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excuse for not backing everything up before you get on your return
flight. Hard drives and CF cards are cheap now, and I recommend a
good Cloud storage solution. I feel much more at ease when my files
are uploaded. Once I transfer all my files to an external drive, I’ll pack
it away with my gear, but all my CF cards will remain on my person, in
my pockets, until I get home. Gear is replaceable; memories are not!
TIP: Speaking of that, get great insurance if you haven’t already.
Seriously, have you checked to see exactly what is covered? I know
there’s a wide range of coverage, and some of these basic policies
are pretty bad, but it’s your job to find out.
5
HIRE LOCAL, RENT GEAR AND STOP WORRYING! Of all
my suggestions, this one is the best way to ensure you’re
covered when traveling for an event. Whenever possible, I like to
hire someone local to the area. If you can rent a portion of your gear
locally, you can make your trip much less stressful! Like the premium
economy seat upgrade, I often work this into my budget and explain
to my clients that this additional cost will help me focus on the job
I’m there to do instead of worrying about logistics.
Safe travels, kids!
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 P Y S K : D E A N B R A DS H AW

ALL PHOTOS © DEAN BRADSHAW

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 THE

Former zoologist and current conceptual portrait photographer Dean Bradshaw

discusses his rollercoaster path to a budding filmmaking career.
BY LIBBY PETERSON

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 P Y S K : D E A N B R A DS H AW

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW HIM Dean Bradshaw chiefly identifies himself as a still-image maker,
but this L.A.-based commercial and conceptual portrait
photographer saw the filmmaking wave coming long before it
crashed onto the industry. A couple years ago, the Australian expat (he grew
up in Perth before moving to the States in 2009) shelled out some serious
bones for a Red EPIC camera—a hefty purchase that, for him, was motivation

PHOTO © RYAN ESSMAKER

With a curiosity for stories and characters, Dean Bradshaw’s
narrative approach to client and personal work serves as creative
inspiration to rethink style across subject matter.
@deanbradshaw | www.deanbradshaw.com.
alone to start using it.
Luckily, the purchase has paid off: Most of his jobs these days involve a
combination of stills and video, plus he’s been experimenting with filming
creative videos on his own time. As an extension of his ongoing portrait
project called “The Craftsmen”—a series of dark, fly-on-the-wall photos of local
artisans such as “The Metalworker,” “The Carpenter” and “The Machinist”—
he’s making wordless, slow-motion videos, most notably “The Hatmaker,” in
which Bradshaw captures a brilliant shot of the famed milliner Nick Fouquet
(a favorite among stars like Pharrell Williams and Madonna) briefly setting a
fedora on fire, an old material-distressing technique.

ABOVE: Taken for Bradshaw’s “Man of the Beach” series, which he says was inspired by the “sometimes strange and entertaining characters” who
frequent these environments. As Bradshaw describes him, this is “the anti-hero.”

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 “Often photographers
are so obsessed with
single, beautiful frames
without really thinking
about the overall story
and intention. You’ve
got to engineer a
dream—that’s what
you’re doing. You’re a
puppeteer and you’re
moving the dream
around so the viewer
feels something. It’s
easy now to create
beautiful imagery; it’s
not as easy to tell a
good story.”
SNAKEY START
Bradshaw’s photography roots began with
reptiles. As a kid growing up in Perth, he
was fascinated by them—particularly lizards
and snakes. He eventually pursued zoology
professionally and worked as a field biologist,
venturing into remote areas of the outback to
find and catch them. Having been tipped off
to photography after his parents got him
a digital point-and-shoot for his 18th birthday,
he’d photograph the reptiles for fun, and
quickly noticed he had a much stronger
interest in taking pictures of them than
tracking them.
Reading up on Strobist and other blogs
and books, Bradshaw gleaned everything
he could about lighting techniques (having
realized that lighting was critical in getting
the good macro shots he wanted) and fiddled
around for countless hours in Photoshop.
Traveling to remote areas for his field work
allowed him to expand his portfolio to include
some landscape and photojournalism work,
too, though he began to feel a yearning to
delve more into people portraiture.
“I hadn’t always been interested in
people,” Bradshaw says with a laugh, “but I
guess I realized that the best stories worth
Rf_PYSK_0615.indd 37
ABOVE: “I’m really inspired by motorcycle culture,” Bradshaw says of his “Man and Machine” series.
This was one of the portraits he took at a motorcycle event that was raising money for the Keep A
Breast Foundation.
photographing are those involving people.
I got more interested in characters because
there was more emotion there for me.”
AN AUSSIE IN L.A.
Shortly thereafter, Bradshaw packed his bags
for a commercial retouching job in California.
By now post-production was his expertise,
and his work had gained traction on sites
like Behance. About a year and a half later,
he quit retouching to focus on shooting and
editing his own work. It was a shaky time
for Bradshaw, who says he was basically
broke, but he stuck with the daunting task
of building up a business from scratch,
photographing willing friends to establish a
solid portrait portfolio.
“Being an expat, I think I have that
immigrant drive,” he says. “You really push
yourself because you’re starting from nothing,
and I learned very quickly that one of the keys
to success is developing a signature style.”
For Bradshaw, that became conceptual and
hyper-realistic with, he says, “an element of
humor that comes from Australian culture—
making fun of things is part of it.”
Bradshaw doesn’t pinpoint a big-break
moment, but a year into going solo—after
shooting for smaller publications and posting
work on his website and social media—he
landed an ad campaign for the sportswear
company Star Trac, which got picked up and
shared online, and eventually fell into the
delighted laps of CPi Reps.
BUILDING CHARACTER
So far Bradshaw has shot for a wide range
of clients—San Diego Magazine, National
Geographic, Asics, Wrangler Workwear and
the London-based spirits company Diageo
among them. He specializes in advertising
and usually accepts one “big job” per month,
filling in time in between with personal
projects of all sorts.
“I’m all over the place with projects—one
minute I’m shooting a fat guy on the beach
because I like the idea of it, and the next
I’m shooting cowboys in Montana,” he says.
“These ideas are different, but it’s what keeps
me interested. If I did the same thing over and
over again, I think I’d go mad. Photography,
to me, is a passport to experience anything
you want.”
The concepts behind his personal projects
just pop into his head, but sometimes he
can trace their origins. The “Golden Years,”
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 P Y S K : D E A N B R A DS H AW

ABOVE: An earlier portrait shot of the Platt Brothers, a performing trio whose shows consist of dance, acrobatics, lively music and comedic acts.

a series of sporty senior citizens (opening
spread), was, he says, a reaction to the “very
dramatic, masculine heroes” he’d been
shooting. “I wanted to turn that idea on its
head and celebrate someone unexpected.”
Bradshaw goes all in for his conceptual
projects, thinking up characters, casting
actors (living in L.A., this is pretty easy)
and building sets—though just as he felt a
yearning to photograph animals instead
of track them, and then capture people
instead of animals, he feels a pull to pursue
more documentary projects. Which is why
later this year he is going to Mongolia to
shoot nomads. “I’ve been creating all these
characters and building sets,” he says, “but I
want to get back to photojournalistic projects
with a bit more meaning.”
ENGINEERING A DREAM
Bradshaw has discovered that his filmmaking
style is almost polar opposite to that of his
still photography; he takes a softer, dreamier,
shorter-depth-of-field approach, versus the
grittier, razor-sharp post-production touch
he puts on most of his photography, and he
finds his motivation behind making films to
be different, too.
“The video component is almost my
hobby; I partly do it for my business, but
I just really enjoy making these little films,
because sometimes I’m not satisfied with the
emotional impact of a still,” he says. “I mean,
stills are great—in the world of Instagram, you
can translate so much very quickly—but to
really dive deep, nothing quite beats motion
when you’re combining sound and really
enveloping the viewer into a world. They’re
like two different paintbrushes.”

CAMERAS: Phase One IQ180 with Hasselblad H4X body (medium format), Nikon D810 (35mm digital), Mamiya 7 II and
Nikon F6 (film), Red Dragon (video)  LENSES: Hasselblad 35mm f/3.5 HC, 50mm f/3.5 HC II, 80mm f/2.8 HC, 100mm
f/2.2 HC (his favorite), 1.7X Teleconverter, Sigma 25mm f/1.4 Art, 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8,
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 L, Nikon 85mm f/1.4, Nikon 28mm f/1.8 G ED, Nikon 60mm Micro-Nikkor  LIGHTING: Profoto, Arri,
Kinoflo OTHER: Sekonic 358 light meter, X-Rite ColorChecker, Ona Camps Bay Backpack, Pelican and SKB cases

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 TIPS A ND TRICKS
Booking the
$10K Wedding
B Y S COT T RO B ERT LI M
In this industry, there are thousands of
photographers competing with you to book ideal
wedding clients. For you to stand out from the rest, you
must have a brand that is unique and caters to a specific
type of client. In a recent webinar (hubs.ly/y0Kytk0) with
ShootDotEdit and WPPI, luxury wedding photographer
Scott Robert Lim joined ShootDotEdit president Jared
Bauman to discuss six ways that photographers can attract
high-end clients.
1. Frequency matters. Regardless of how long you’ve
been in business, there is never a wrong time to begin
advancing your brand. It’s simple: the more weddings you
shoot, the easier it will be to book high-end clients who
will want to work with you based on your skills. Remember,
most brides book their wedding 6 to 12 months in
advance. When the time comes to shoot their wedding,
you are a much better photographer than when they
hired you. Your bride will rave about you to her trusted
circle because you exceeded her initial expectations. With
frequency comes experience, and you need demand to
start raising your status as a luxury brand.
2. M
 aintain your brand. When you look at your business,
there are many aspects that you can focus on, in addition
to photography, to create a unique brand. Price equals
value. And value encompasses so much more than just your
images, which is why you must focus on your overall brand.
Think about what you are up against: an entire industry of
photographers who have similar skills and may take better
images than you do. For you to create a luxury brand, you
have to focus on more than the quality of your images. In
order for you to appeal to the bride’s expectations, it is
crucial to have a brand that represents the luxury society.
3. C
 reate “wow” images. The images on your website have
to be spectacular. They should be strong enough to stand
on their own, so it’s important for you to take a close look at
your portfolio and choose the best examples to showcase.
Keep in mind that you are selling to brides who have been
dreaming of their wedding day for many years.
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4. F
 ind a personal style. According to Yahoo News, people
decide if you are successful within five seconds of
meeting you. Many clients have the perception that if the
photographer looks stylish, his or her images must also be.
If you are not into fashion, look for people who dress better
and imitate their choices. This part of your brand is crucial;
subconsciously, a luxury bride wants her photographer to
look good. During her wedding, you are a direct reflection
of the bride and her day. Working in the high-end market
also means that you are around more influential people
who will likely refer you to other clients. Since you are
representing your luxury brand, you must have a sharp
personal style on every occasion.
5. R
 aise your likeability. As you are building your brand, ask
yourself if you are likeable as a photographer and business
owner. Do you let other people be the star of the show, or
do you steal all of the attention? Are you a good listener,
or do you spend more of the time talking? Do you give
great advice, or are you constantly asking for help? Are you
humble, sincere and genuinely encouraging? The goal is to
help at the highest level; the business will follow. The more
likeable you are as a photographer, the easier it will be for
you to meet and book new clients.
6. Develop “celebrity” status. For you to continuously book
high-end brides, you must become a “celebrity” in their eyes.
An important skill for you to have to obtain this goal is to be
able to secure key influencers. In many cases, luxury brides
hire by referral from a trusted source. In order to access the
bride’s inner circle, you must connect with the trusted source
to begin building a relationship. Let’s say that the source is
a vendor; you can offer your images for free for them to use
in their business. Moreover, go above and beyond for that
vendor. Go out of your way to provide what they need from
those images. The gesture alone will encourage the vendor
to trust you, which will allow you to get closer to the bride’s
inner circle. Over time, the trusted source will begin to return
the favor, thus helping you book jobs and inviting you into
their circle of influences. “Celebrity” status increases your
likeability and gives you access. Your status will precede you
PHOTO © SCOTT ROBERT LIM
within this circle, and brides will trust you more because you
are known and thus trusted.
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 etaways
G
CAPTURING

These days, the visuals conjured up by the phrase “destination

wedding” has been expanded on to include much more
than a couple kissing at sunset on a tropical island. In this
special section, we focus on how to keep up with adventurous
clients (think mountaintop nuptials in Iceland and campsite
engagements), refresh overdone photo concepts and land
destination clients in your own backyard.
PHOTO © ANNA KIM PHOTOGRAPHY

DESTINATION
WEDDINGS

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 DESTINATION
WEDDINGS

*5extra mile=p
Going the

How three photographers have saddled up

for couples expanding the horizons on their
destination shoots.
BY JACK CRAGE R

AN EXOTIC LOCALE is sure to add that
certain something extra to any nuptial ceremony.
As Australian photographer and serial wedding
globetrotter Jonas Peterson says, “Destination
weddings are often about the destination as much
as the wedding.” But some couples are taking this a
step further, going beyond a picturesque setting to
having an unforgettable, bonafide adventure.
“It’s about taking risks, challenging and pushing
yourself to places you didn’t realize you could go,
experiencing new landscapes,” says Los Angeles-based
photographer Greg Balkin, who likes to combine
couples' shoots with trips to the wilderness. “A romantic
weekend under the stars? On a river? In an unexplored
land? Pack your gear, hit the trail, and go for it!”
As evidenced by the experiences of three daring
couples, big-adventure engagement and wedding
PHOTO © NORDICA PHOTOGRAPHY
shoots do require advance planning and a can-do
attitude. “In rugged environments, photographers
should be honest with themselves about the physical
commitments it takes to get results,” advises
the Swedish photo duo Cole Roberts and Jakob
Granqvist of Nordica Photography.
“We’ve seen couples nearly get blown off cliffs
because they weren’t paying attention, a groom
who thought he had frostbite on his toes, birds
attacking bouquets, and many other surprises. These
adventures are serious, so be careful. But they can
make for great memories, and photographs."
[At press time, Jackson, California-based
photographer Charleton Churchill was about to
make history shooting a Mt. Everest base camp
wedding when a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck
Nepal. Look for further coverage online and in print.]

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 GOING THE EXTRA MILE

expecting the unexpected

ESCAPADE IN ICELAND
FOR COLE ROBERTS AND JAKOB GRANQVIST
(Nordica Photography), their work requires being
ready for anything. “We usually enter the wedding day
with limited information, outside of the absolute musts,”
the duo explains. “That allows us to show up with an
open mind and to document the wedding with no
preconceived notions.”
This approach came in handy when they were hired
to shoot an adventure wedding on the Snaefellsness
Peninsula in Iceland. The couple, Lexy and Neil, wanted
an Asatru (Nordic Pagan) ceremony and chose Iceland
for its inspiring scenery. But this often accompanies
equally dramatic weather. “The conditions in Iceland
can be brutal or glorious within minutes of each other,”
recall Roberts and Granqvist, “so our plan was to wing it
based on the weather and see what happened.”
What happened was a downpour. “The wind felt
like it would blow everyone away like kites,” they
recall. “At the ceremony, everyone was soaked.”
The resulting images, however, are stunning—
complete with angry clouds, silver linings, lush sunsets
and enthusiastic guests. “[Lexy and Neil] embraced
the dark, wet conditions head-on and thought of the
weather as an additional layer to the story of their
wedding,” the lensmen note. “At times they looked like
they just stepped out of a shower, but they said, ‘Bring it
on—we’re not made of sugar!’ and went for it. The stars
aligned in this case, with the brutal conditions and a
couple who embraced it.”
Along with plenty of Goretex-lined rain gear, the
Nordica shooters relied on their usual setups. Granqvist
shot with two Nikon bodies (DF and D600) and AF-S
Nikkor lenses (35mm f/1.4G, 50mm f/1.4G, 85mm
f/1.8G and 24mm f/2.8). Roberts used a Nikon DF and
a Leica M240, along with lenses including the Sigma
35mm f/1.4L, Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G, Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G
and Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4.
“Our challenge was keeping our gear as dry as
we could and going with the flow,” they say. “We pack
the same kit wherever we’re going—whether to the
rice fields of Indonesia, Caribbean beaches, Svalbard
glaciers or rugged cliffs in Iceland.”

PHOTO © NORDICA PHOTOGRAPHY

THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS SPREAD:

Cole Roberts and Jakob Granqvist of
Nordica Photography packed their bags
to shoot an outdoor (and for a moment,
rainy) Pagan wedding ceremony on the
Snaefellsness Peninsula in Iceland.

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 braving the elements =M
BIG BASH IN BALI
PHOTOGRAPHER JONAS PETERSON hooked
up with one adventurous client through a tireless
matchmaker: Google. “The bride found me
randomly when searching the web for ‘rice paddy’
and ‘wedding,’” recalls Peterson, who’s based in
Byron Bay, Australia. “She came across some images
of mine and contacted me about her upcoming
wedding in Bali.”
Peterson—who had discovered the island charms
of the Indonesian province on a romantic trip of his
own—felt he was destined to shoot the wedding of a
pair of New Yorkers, Elora and Rajiv: The bride had
grown up in Sayan, the same town where Peterson
stayed. The wedding unfolded over three days,
with activities including a long hike through the
mountainous woods and rivers, wild Indian dance
parties at the Bambu Indah Hotel, and a culminating
ceremony in the Ayung River, where the couple and
the officiator climbed onto a boulder.
“It was beautiful—but also hot, uncomfortable,
and taxing on the body,” Peterson says. “It’s all
about staying hydrated and focusing on the task at
hand. My job is to stay professional no matter the
conditions.”
Peterson says the indoor/outdoor, hot-and-cold
settings required continually allowing time for his
photo equipment to adapt before shooting again
when changing environments. “I bring the same
gear with me to all my weddings,” he says. That
comprises two Canon EOS 5D Mark III bodies, two
Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flashes, and Canon EF
lenses including the 24mm f/1.4L, 35mm f/1.4L,
TW-E 45mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.2L, 85mm f/1.8 and
135mm f/2L.
After the river ceremony, the couple entertained
some 500 guests at a feast back in town under
the stars. “Several times I had to remind myself to
shoot the magic in front of me—it was just so much
to take in!” Peterson says, adding that shooting a
big-adventure wedding is still challenging work.
“What sounds like a glamorous getaway on paper
is a wedding day in often brutal conditions in an
environment you’re not used to,” he notes. “It can be
very rewarding as well. I’ve shot cultural weddings
all around the world, and in each one I’ve learned
more about our world and the people who live in it.
PHOTOS THIS PAGE © JONAS PETERSON

It’s the best education anyone could wish for.”

THIS PAGE: When Jonas Peterson was asked to shoot a

three-day wedding in Bali, he jumped at the chance
to go along for the ride, shooting multiple ceremonies
and feasts.

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 GOING THE EXTRA MILE

“We relaxed around the campfire and watched the sun go down
over the water—it created a great environment for conversation
and friendship. In the woods, bedtime is decided once you're full
of s'mores and the fire is almost out."
— Greg Balkin

roughing it
ROMANCE IN BIG SUR
GREG BALKIN HAS CREATED A SPECIAL NICHE
within his business, Brightwood Photography,
called Adventure Love Stories. “The idea is to
combine a camping trip with either weddings or
engagements,” says Balkin, whose initial clients in
this venture were a couple named Julianne and
John. “Julianne joined our Facebook group and
shot me a message saying they were looking for
some rad engagement photos.”
For a setting, they chose California’s Big Sur
region—with its rugged forest terrain and stunning
views of the Santa Lucia Mountains meeting
the Pacific Ocean—and planned an overnight
backpacking trip. “The main components were
finding a great campsite, checking the weather and
making sure we had the right camping gear,” Balkin
recalls. “I brought the essentials: a tent, headlamp,
First Aid kit, Coleman stove and food. We all brought
sleeping bags and pads, plus rain gear in case the
weather turned south—but we didn’t need it.”
Instead, they enjoyed dramatic streaks of
sunlight streaming through giant redwood trees,
as the couple and photographer took a long hike
punctuated by romantic portraits. Balkin kept his
photo setup simple and portable. “I like everything
to be carried on me at all times,” he says. “I hate
setting bags down and either misplacing them
(I’ve lost a lot of time this way) or getting them full
of dirt, sand or whatever else is on the ground." In
the wild he carries a pair of Canon DSLRs (EOS 5D
Mark III and EOS 6D) and Canon EF lenses (35mm
f/1.4L, 50mm f/1.2L, and 85mm f/1.8). “If I’m out
hiking and shooting, I use a little clip that attaches PHOTOS THIS SPREAD © BRIGHTWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

to the front strap of my backpack so there are no

cameras dangling around my neck.”
Balkin’s Big Sur experience got him “stoked to
get out and shoot more of these trips,” he says,
adding that his favorite part was back at camp:
“We relaxed around the campfire and watched
the sun go down over the water—it created a great
environment for conversation and friendship,”
he says. “In the woods, bedtime is decided once
you’re full of s’mores and the fire is almost out.
Then you wake up with the sunlight gently crossing
your eyes through the tent.”

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 THIS SPREAD:
Greg Balkin of
Brightwood
Photography goes
on camping and
backpacking trips
around the American
wilderness with couples
for his shoots called
Adventure Love Stories.

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 DESTINATION
WEDDINGS

C lic he s
AVOIDING
LOCAL

Five photographers share their tips for not ruining a

beautiful destination with the same old, tired images.
BY LIN DS AY CO MSTO C K

DESTINATION WEDDINGS CAN BE A DREAM FOR

PHOTOGRAPHERS: They are a chance to travel to a foreign locale
and offer an abundance of inspiring visual stimuli. But it can be tempting
to allow a beautiful environment to do all the work and not venture beyond
mundane poses or the most obvious icons of the destination. We spoke with
five photographers to hear their processes for creating dynamic imagery
that takes the wedding beyond innately beautiful environs.

LET CULTURE SHINE

Dismissing local customs or traditional ephemera can lead to images
without context. To tell the story of a place, Allison and Brian of Callaway
Gable encouraged a recent couple to incorporate local Tahitian wedding
customs into their ceremony. “During their wedding they wore Western
attire with traditional Tahitian floral leis and crowns. Later they changed into
Tahitian pareos in a very special and intimate ceremony. Local Tahitians
wrapped the garments around Ann and Conrad in a chapel with a view of
Bora Bora’s extinct volcano. It still gives me goosebumps when I look at
PHOTO © CALLAWAY GABLE

those photos,” Brian says.

Their advice for capturing a foreign culture (aside from not being
afraid to get in the water or traverse jungle terrain)? “Stay with the locals,
if possible,” Brian says. “When we went to Bora Bora, we stayed on the
mainland where no one spoke English—only French. It really gave us a sense
of the local people and their culture.”

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 AVOIDING LOCAL CLICHÉS

PHOTOS THIS PAGE © LOVE IS A BIG DEAL

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE
For a recent desert wedding, Josh and Meg of Love is a
Big Deal told their couple to “take a walk” before they
captured a perfectly rim-lit image of the two strolling
hand-in-hand through a dusky Arizona desert landscape
(above). Giving the couple a moment alone, their tip for
creating interesting composition is to think beyond the
Rule of Thirds. “We are always thinking ‘wide, medium,
tight’ at every shoot,” the duo says. “If you do this for
every moment, you make sure you’re getting variety and
covering all of your bases.”
The photographers also think outside of the box—
literally. At the same Arizona wedding, “the venue was
a rectangle box just sitting in the middle of this great
landscape. It was great to incorporate these geometric
lines with Arizona’s earthy feel,” they explain.
In order to put a unique spin on an image
of the bridal party getting ready, they shot
through the glass structure, allowing
the cacti to be incorporated into a
multi-dimensional shot.

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 MAKE IT BLACK AND WHITE
While it might be instinctual to photograph a
beautiful location in color, one way to direct
attention differently within an image is to think in a
monochromatic palette. This is what photographer
KT Merry did when she shot a beach destination
wedding—she decided to ditch color for a portrait
of the bride. “I loved her editorial look with the
blazer over the wedding dress, and felt that black
and white would capture that editorial mood and
enhance the image even further,” she says.
Merry often chooses to shoot with black-and-
white film when the light is muted by an overcast
sky, she says. “When choosing to shoot something
in black and white, I will make the decision based
on the lighting situation and content of the image.
Certain shots, like the getting ready or cake cutting,
I love to see in black and white, and sometimes the
light or mood of a scenario will dictate the change.”
She cautions photographers to think about density
PHOTO © KT MERRY

when shooting in black and white: “If the image is

dark and muddy, then it can lose its impact. Good
exposure and soft lighting are two things I look for.”

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 AVOIDING LOCAL CLICHÉS

PHOTO © JOS STUDIOS

“Knowing how to bounce light, how close or far to
place a diffusor near a face, or feather one light more
than the other can create entirely different looks.”
­—Jos of JOS Studios

PLAY WITH LIGHT

Just because a wedding is outdoors, doesn’t mean the lighting has
to be au naturel, too. Balancing artificial light with natural light may
be just the ingredient to give an image depth. Jos and Tree of JOS
Studios explain that sometimes the simple modifiers are the best
for creating dynamic lighting. “Knowing how to bounce light, how
close or far to place a diffusor near a face, or feather one light more
than the other can create entirely different looks,” Jos says.
When asked to photograph at Mt. Hood Organic Farms in
Oregon, they knew that Mt. Hood would have to factor into the
images. “We love how the metaphor of a mountain says something
poetic. Yet we also wanted something different and dynamic,”
they say.
So the photographers shot the wedding party from a low
vantage point to give their subjects definition, “especially against
a wild pink sky!” The image was exposed for the light on the
mountain and then shot with a transmitter to trigger two external
flashes to light up the couple from a 45-degree angle where the
sun would naturally shine.

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 DESTINATION
PITFALLS TO
AVOID
LANDSCAPE OVERLOAD
One no-no—advise Josh and Meg of Love
is a Big Deal—is turning into a landscape
photographer by concentrating too much
on the surroundings and forgetting the main
reason you are there in the first place: the
bride and groom. “How many photos have we
all seen of a couple in Iceland so small that
you can barely see them?” they ask. “But you
sure can see that mountain or glacier.”

FAKE FACES
“Contrived posing; forced smiles; subjects
looking directly into the camera; awkwardly
stiff stances; flat, muddy light; overshooting
the same angle of monuments,” are tired
habits to avoid, say the team behind JOS
Studios. “This doesn’t mean shooting
symbolic things is wrong; we just think
breaking the rules and doing something
artistic and more emotional with a raw edge
better represents professional photography.”

UNSTEADY STYLE
“Photographers often change their style for a
destination wedding,” says KT Merry. “I think it’s
crucial to approach destination weddings with
the same shooting style of all your photography.
I use the new location to inspire me to think
outside of the box and try new things while
PHOTO © JEAN-PIERRE UYS

keeping true to my style throughout.”

TIRED SNAPS
Stop shooting what everyone else does,
says Brian of Callaway Gable. “If it’s a beach
wedding, it would be taking wedding photos
at the beach. It’s easy and it’s what every other
photographer does; we would encourage you
EMPHASIZE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS to look beyond the easy, and find something
Some of the most captivating imagery can simply come from understanding how your
extraordinary.”
subjects interact within their environment and waiting for those special moments to occur.
Photographer Jean-Pierre Uys spends a few days ahead of time looking at the venue and
figuring out how to emphasize the scene. Then he looks at how the people enter the scene.
PLAYED-OUT POSES
“I show the vastness of the space and then how the people fit within it,” he says. “Regardless of the destination, clichés lie in
For a wedding in southern France, he “wanted to show the guests with the couple the way you pose the couple,” says Jean-
enjoying the fireworks,” Uys says. “I love to capture people having fun within the Pierre Uys. “The natural beauty on its own
environment. I think it’s important you can see it’s a destination. You have to look for breaks clichés, but if you do a cliché pose, it
something that captures the essence of the location.” will look cliché in any environment.”

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 DESTINATION
WEDDINGS

hometown
DE STIN AT ION:

BY BLAIR DE LAUBE N FE LS

WHEN MOST PHOTOGRAPHERS THINK ABOUT

DESTINATION WEDDINGS, they picture flying around the
world to shoot in exotic locales, but the truth is that anywhere
that isn't home to the couple is a destination for them. If you
live in or near a place that couples flock to get married then you
can become a sought-after destination wedding photographer
without ever leaving town. Let’s look at the most effective ways
to build your hometown destination business according to
successful photographers who’ve done the same.

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 PHOTO © ZOFIA CROSBY/ZOFIA & CO.

THIS PAGE: A classic Nantucket wedding by

Zofia Crosby, who finds that collaborating
with other local wedding vendors is
essential to getting your name out there.

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 DESTINATION: HOMETOWN

PHOTOS THIS PAGE © MELISSA MUSGROVE PHOTOGRAPHY

1 BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
When photographer Melissa Musgrove moved to Santa Barbara in 2001, a much sought-after wedding
location, she knew that creating relationships with local planners and catering managers would be the NOTE: Having worked in
only way to get herself established as a destination shooter in her own backyard.
the wedding industry for
“I took a risk and designed a postcard from a photo I had taken of a pitbull all dressed up, sitting
behind the steering wheel of a classic car,” Musgrove says. “I sent the postcard out to Santa Barbara’s
over 15 years, I know that
most influential wedding professionals with a greeting that said, ‘There’s a new bitch in town.’ It wasn’t one thing no photographer
my usual refined style, but I got a great response from local wedding professionals who loved the bold wants to talk about is paying
presentation and they reached out to me.” commissions for referrals.
More than 70 percent of the couples who get married in Santa Barbara come from out of town, However, top planners
according to Musgrove, and many choose high-end resorts like San Ysidro Ranch, The Four Seasons, and locations in popular
and Bacara Resort & Spa. Working at prestigious locations like these with the area’s top planners,
places often charge them
designers, florists and caterers, Musgrove has befriended many of her peers whom she calls her
“second customers”—a description she uses to explain that providing them with usable images for their and multiple commissions
portfolios is just part of her workflow. can eat up to 40 percent of
Taking the same approach to creating relationships within their markets, Tom Munoz of Munoz your profits. Be aware and
Photography in Miami Beach and Zofia Crosby of Zofia & Co. on Nantucket Island, both acknowledged prepared to respond to and
that shooting the details and decor for the wedding professionals involved, as well as for their clients, negotiate if possible when it
is an important ingredient in their success.
comes to requests for these
If you are new in town, or just want to create more relationships within your own market, introduce
yourself creatively and think outside the box about beneficial collaborations. Plan a shoot with a
payments.
fashionable bridal store or popular catering company, create great headshots for local wedding
planners, or help a florist build a blog post of the last wedding you did together.

THIS PAGE: PhotographerMelissa Musgrove captures the laid-back elegance of Santa Barbara destination
weddings in these natural light portraits of a couple with a classic Ford station wagon, and a bulldog
dressed to impress. NEXT PAGE: Anna Kim shoots a classic destination ceremony, and a bride running
barefoot on the beach on the lush island of Kauai.

58 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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A NEW WAY
TO PROOF PHOTOS
A
S A WEDDING OR PORTRAIT
PHOTOGRAPHER, you know your
work is only just beginning once the
shoot is over. A single shoot can amount to
thousands of photos, which equals countless
hours spent editing images, proofing images
with clients and selling photo packages and
add-ons. And while there are many solutions
for selling image packages online and viewing
and storing photo galleries, the process of
proofing and selecting images with clients can
be cumbersome at best. Many photographers
still opt for the archaic form of a burned CD
or 4x6 prints—a long, inefficient process that
doesn’t allow the opportunity for sharing a
preview of the images to eagerly awaiting
friends and family.
With the sentiment that “2,000 proof
prints lying on a table is confusing” and
the realization that online solutions weren’t
up to par, wedding photographer Brian A.
Marino created the recently launched web-
Profoto_0615.indd 4
H i n t: g
in
I t ’ s g ol e !
mobi
based app, Proof Picker. The New Jersey-
based photographer behind Visual Image
Video and Photography, with more than 20
years experience in the industry, wants the
experience of proofing and selecting images
as easy as possible for a couple after their big
day. After all, they’re usually exhausted after
planning a wedding, he notes. “The easier it is
for them after the wedding, the happier they’re
going to be and the more likely they will be to
refer me to others me.”
Proof Picker is a subscription-based service
for photographers to help automate the
image-selection process after a shoot. “It saves
[the photographer] so much time, but it also
saves the couple time,” he explains of the app,
which includes a plug-in for Adobe Lightroom
users to use keywords to automatically create
categories in Proof Picker. The client can then
view images in a variety of arrangements
to compare shots, share and select images.
The client can then choose to send their
ADVERTISEMENT
selections to the photographer with a single
downloadable link. “It allows the photographer
to be completely mobile,” he says, when time is
a factor in processing an image order.
Further, clients can email or post their
selections to social media, or play a slideshow
of their image selections from any device
without having to wait for the photographer.
But because the app was designed
by a photographer for photographers,
Marino has also kept the rights of image-
makers in mind. Images shared in this
manner are automatically embedded with
the photographer’s watermark, but the
photographer also has the ability to release
the image rights and full-resolution images
to a client once final selections have been
made. A client also has the option to purchase
images directly from the app if this is the
business model the photographer uses. There
are no file size or storage restrictions, and a
photographer can purchase a subscription
package based on the number of shoots he or
she expects to have. But most importantly, “If I
know my customer is happier, my photography
business is going to be better,” Marino says.
“This app was based on experience.”
To celebrate the launch of Proof Picker, the
app is offering a free 14-day trial with no
obligation. Visit www.proofpicker.com.
5/12/15 10:20 AM
 DESTINATION: HOMETOWN

2 GET PUBLISHED
In addition to building referral business
through your professional relationships,
you can also use the power of publishing
to attract your ideal clients. In the Hawaiian
Islands, where, according to The Wedding
Report, more than 22,000 weddings are
photographed each year, homegrown
photographer Anna Kim focuses on getting
published in the magazines and blogs her
clients use.
Among the most popular photographers
in Hawaii, Kim keeps herself and three other
photographers busy shooting all year round
both weekdays and weekends, and 70
percent of her inquiries come from online
sites that her clients love, like The Knot, Style
Me Pretty, Pinterest and Junebug Weddings.
“I love working at the area’s top hotels,
but I also love photographing couples
eloping on the beach all by themselves,”
Kim says. “I want to reach a wide range
of people who really care about their
photography, and getting published allows
me to do that.”

PHOTOS THIS PAGE © ANNA KIM PHOTOGRAPHY

60 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

Rf_Theme_Hometown_0615.indd 60 5/7/15 12:49 PM

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81_RF_0615_SimoplyColor.indd 81 5/7/2015 10:05 AM

 DESTINATION: HOMETOWN

Understand how and why couples flock to
your hometown and where they're traveling
from, and create your marketing accordingly.
3 SEARCH LIKE YOUR CLIENT
To find out how you look to your ideal clients
compared to your competition, put yourself in
their shoes and ask, “What would I search for if I
was planning a wedding in my hometown?” Then
make a list of five relevant search terms you think
your potential clients are using and that you would
like to be found for.
Keep in mind that while many couples
will search for “[your hometown] wedding
photographer,” they may also search for,
“weddings in [your hometown],” or, “best places
to get married in [your hometown].” In fact,
searching for terms like those is how I found the
photographers I interviewed for this article, as
they all came up on the first page of my search
for wedding photographers in their area and for
several other queries as well. If you don’t find
first page results for your business right now, that
just means it’s time to get your website and blog
optimized to increase your search engine traffic.

PHOTO © ANNA KIM PHOTOGRAPHY

LEFT: Photographer Anna Kim, who shoots for
clients from all over the world, gives us a peek at a
festive Indian wedding on Maui. BOTTOM LEFT: Santa
Barbara photographer Melissa Musgrove captures a
classically beautiful group shot. BELOW: Zofia Crosby
visits a lighthouse to shoot the quintessential New
England portrait of a bride.

PHOTO © ZOFIA CROSBY/ZOFIA & CO.

PHOTO © MELISSA MUSGROVE

62 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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63_RF_0615_Sigma.indd 63 5/13/2015 12:20 PM
 DESTINATION: HOMETOWN
PHOTO © MARIO MUNOZ JR./MUNOZ PHOTOGRAPHY
ABOVE: Mario Munoz Jr. of Munoz Photography uses a Lowel ID Light to illuminate
this couple for their portrait at the Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel in Florida.
64
Rf_Theme_Hometown_0615.indd 64
4
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be quite
complex, so I am going to stay to the basics for this
article. Start by focusing on these items to create a
search-engine friendly site that will attract local and out-
of-town clients.
Once you get several ideal locations in your portfolio,
consider creating a separate Venues page that can
be accessed right off your toolbar, or make it a drop-
down option in your Gallery/Portfolio section. Munoz
Photography makes the most of this idea on its blog with
a venues gallery that shows off hundreds of wedding
locations in South Florida (blog.munozphotography.
com/venues), a feature that makes the website a great
resource for both local and traveling couples.
R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015
OPTIMIZE YOUR WEBSITE/ BLOG
FOR SEARCH ENGINES
OPTIMIZE YOUR TITLES
Your title tags are the most important piece of your
SEO. Search for your own business and be sure your
homepage title, which appears at the top of your
results, is 58 characters or less and get’s straight to
the point. Anna Kim’s homepage title says “Anna
Kim Photography - Maui Wedding Photographer”,
so it’s no wonder her site shows up in the search
engines for those terms. Once you’ve optimized
your homepage title, be sure every other page of
your website has its own unique title based on the
content and keywords your clients are searching
for. Be aware that going beyond 58 characters can
get you docked by the search engines, and be sure
to capitalize the first letter of each word to make it
easier to read.
OPTIMIZE YOUR
META DESCRIPTIONS
Your meta description appears below your URL
when your website or blog shows up in search.
It is irrelevant to the search engines, but still very
important to your clients because it describes your
content and acts as a mini sales pitch. Good meta
descriptions have an ideal length of 156 characters or
less and use important keywords without overusing
them. Anna Kim’s current homepage description is
148 characters long: “Maui wedding photographer
Anna Kim blends artistic photography and
photojournalism to create stunning wedding photos
and portraits throughout Hawaii.”
OPTIMIZE YOUR CONTENT
Here comes the fun part! When you’re creating blog
posts for your clients, think about how you can be
found along with the top venues and other leading
wedding professionals in your area. Write a blog
post about your hometown like the one on Melissa
Musgrove’s blog showcasing the top ten reasons to
get married in Santa Barbara (www.melissamusgrove.
com/top-10-known-reasons-to-marry-in-santa-
barbara-and-a-few-of-my-own), or devote a whole
category of posts to the wedding professionals you
work with like the posts that Zofia Crosby does on
the best vendors and wedding venues in Nantucket
(zofiaphoto.com/info/vendors-venues).
5/7/15 12:49 PM
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x_RF_0615_x.indd 1 5/4/2015 2:51 PM
 SEEING
THE
LIGHT
LIGHTING
P H OTO G R A P H Y CO N T E ST

C
ongratulations to the
winners of the 2015
Seeing the Light contest!
In this gallery, you’ll find the
winning images organized by
One Light, Two Lights, Three+
Lights and Natural Light, along
with the lighting setup each
photographer used to get
the shot. Craig Colvin, this
year’s grand-prize winner, will
receive a $1,500 award, $500
to Adorama, and a Full Platform
Pass and education perks at
WPPI Conference & Expo 2016.
First-place winners Bill Gekas,
Gustavo Marx and Joseph
Staska will also receive a prize
package from Adorama and
WPPI. See the online gallery at
seeingthelightcontest.com.
© ORLANDO BEHAR

SPONSORED BY:

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 67

Seeingthelight.indd 67 5/6/15 11:25 AM

 SEEING THE LIGHT: ONE LIGHT

GRAND CRAIG COLVIN

CURVE
PRIZE A single Paul C. Buff Einstein strobe with 3 x 4-foot
softbox, shot through a slit created with two
4 x 8-foot foamcore boards. Shot with a Canon 5D
Mark II with a 24-105mm f/4L lens.

68 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

Seeingthelight.indd 68 5/6/15 11:25 AM

 FIRST
PLACE
RACHEL WHITE
WHEN WILL I
SEE YOU AGAIN
A Twin Peaks-themed shoot
commissioned by online
magazine STACKEDD, shot with a
Canon 5D Mark III and 28-70mm
f/2.8L lens. A Canon Speedlite
580EX II in a Westcott Rapid Box
was placed to the right, set off by
a Phottix Odin TTL flash trigger.

IAN SPANIER
JOSE FERRER,
50-YEAR-OLD JOCKEY
From the series “Right Next
Door,” a collection of portraits of
people who lead extraordinary
lives. Jose Ferrer is a 50-year-
old jockey in a sport in which
competitors are usually 20 to 30
years younger. For this series,
Spanier worked minimally,
bouncing one small flash into a
ceiling or wall to light the room.

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 69

Seeingthelight.indd 69 5/6/15 11:26 AM

 SEEING THE LIGHT: TWO LIGHTS

FIRST BILL GEKAS

LAUNDRETTE
PLACE Gekas placed a softbox to the left of the
camera and in front of his subject, then fired
a speed light through a window cuculoris,
also to the left, to cast the shadow across
the wall. Shot with a Pentax K-3 camera.
Top
GORAN JOVIC
OBSERVER
Two Hamer tribesmen on the hill above Omo Valley, Ethiopia. Shot
with two flashes: the first light was placed in front of the subject in
the foreground, and the second flash was placed on the rock on
the right of the subject in the background.

Bottom
CRAIG CULVIN
ROLLING HILLS
Two Profoto strobes, each with a horizonal 1 x 6-foot softbox, sit at
the same height as the models, 45 degrees behind them on either
side. Shot with a Canon 5D Mark II with a 24-70mm f/2.8L lens.

70 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 SEEING THE LIGHT: THREE+ LIGHTS

FIRST
PLACE
JOSEPH STASKA
UNTITLED
A five-second exposure with a
speed light in each person’s lap,
bouced off of white paper fixed
in front of them. The lights were
fired at rear curtain to freeze the
subjects’ faces for a blend of
sharpness and motion blur.

ORLANDO BEHAR
LOOKING AT RAINBOWS
“Looking at Rainbows” was
shot with a Canon 5D Mark III
using a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8
lens. The model, Jocelyn Nickel
of Wilhelmina Models, was lit
using three Broncolor Pulso
heads plugged into a Broncolor
Grafit A2 powerpack. Behar
also utilized P70 reflectors and
lighting gels to get the shot.

WHEATON MAHONEY
DWIGHT
Three Elinchrome strobe heads with Elinchrome
softboxes fired at left, right and above the subject.

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 71

Seeingthelight.indd 71 5/6/15 11:26 AM

 SEEING THE LIGHT: NATURAL LIGHT

FIRST GUSTAVO MARX

BRUNA
PLACE Lit through a window in a hallway.

Top
BEHRAM DACOSTA
UNTITLED
Natural light on a beach in San Francisco.

Bottom
EINAR SIRA
FASAN
Photographed in a small garden pond under natural light with a
silver reflector.
72 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

Seeingthelight.indd 72 5/6/15 11:26 AM

 SEEING THE LIGHT

JUDGES
JASON GROUPP
Jason Groupp is the director of education and membership for the PHOTO+
group, which includes WPPI and PhotoPlus Expo. Like Woody Allen, Groupp
adores New York City far beyond any healthy proportion. Jason first fell in love with
the city while attending the Fashion Institute of Technology, and has maintained
the relationship for 15 years with his West Chelsea photography studio, and in the
downtown PHOTO+ office where he says each day is truly an adventure.

SARAH SILVER
Sarah Silver is a New York City-based fashion, beauty and movement photographer
with more than 12 years of experience. Silver’s work has been featured in
publications such as Allure, L’Officiel, V, Vogue and W. Her fashion and beauty
clients include Lancôme, L’Oréal, Nike, Proenza Schouler, Target and Tresemmé.
She is also a regularly featured photographer on TV shows such as America’s Next
Top Model, LA Ink, Make Me A Supermodel and Project Runway.

ART STREIBER
Art Streiber is a West Coast-based photographer specializing in editorial,
reportage and entertainment advertising imagery. His editorial client list includes
ESPN, Entertainment Weekly, Fast Company, TIME, WIRED and Vanity Fair. His
entertainment client list includes 20th Century Fox, A&E, HBO, NBC, Paramount
Pictures and Universal Studios. Streiber lives in Los Angeles with his wife, two
daughters and a yellow Labrador.

THANK to the sponsor, judges

and entrants of this

YOU!
year’s Seeing the Light
competition.

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 73

Seeingthelight.indd 73 5/6/15 11:26 AM

 PH OTOGRAPHY ANNU AL
2 0 1 5

PHOTO © PAT FUREY/WWW.PATFUREYPHOTO.COM

v2_RFAnnual_2015.indd 1 5/12/15 4:29 PM

 RFANNUAL.COM

Rangefinder is seeking the most exceptional imagery of

2014-2015 in the following categories:

W E D D I N G / P O R T R A I T / FA S H I O N
C O M P O S I T E / P E R S O N A L / V I D E O 

deadline: 09.02.2015

One Grand Prize winner will receive a:

$5,000 CASH PRIZE
$500 gift card from B&H
A Two-Page Profile in Rangefinder

Each First Place winner will receive a:

$100 Gift Card from B&H

All winners work will be featured in a gallery exhibition at WPPI,

a gallery in November issue of Rangefinder and and extended gallery

on rangefinderonline.com
PHOTO © PAT FUREY/WWW.PATFUREYPHOTO.COM

Sponsored by

v2_RFAnnual_2015.indd 2 5/12/15 4:29 PM

 H A N D S- O N
H A R D WA R E R E V I E W
ROCK STEADY
Olympus’ summer sequel, the OM-D EM-5 Mark II, banishes the blur with a
brawny build that keeps it safe from Mother Nature.
PICTURED: With a new, five-axis stabilization
system, the OM-D E-M5 Mark II can record
nearly blur-free video while shooting handheld.
In Hollywood, sequels are rarely better than the
original. For camera buyers, it’s usually the opposite.
When it comes to following-up a successful model,
there’s a good chance you’re in for at least some useful
improvements when the replacement arrives. Whether those
improvements justify the asking price is another story.
Olympus is hoping for its own summer blockbuster with the
OM-D EM-5 Mark II, a successor to 2012’s E-M5. The 2015 edition
delivers several new features, including Wi-Fi, a high-resolution
2.36 million-dot EVF, new High Res Shot mode and a revamped
five-axis image stabilization system that delivers a category-leading
five stops of image compensation based on CIPA standards.
76 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015
Rf_Review_Olympus_0615.indd 76
B Y G R E G SCO B LE T E
The E-M5 Mark II also features a 16-megapixel Live MOS
sensor with an ISO range of 100 to 25,600. Shutter speeds top off
at 1/8000 sec. mechanically or up to 1/16,000 sec. electronically.
A 30-minute exposure is available in bulb mode. In addition
to the EVF, there’s a 3-inch vari-angle touch screen display for
framing stills and video.
Speaking of video, the Mark II records 1920 x 1080/60p
video using IPB compression—a form of video compression that
subtly eliminates video frames to save space on your memory
card. Drop frame rates to 30 fps and you’ll enjoy a fairly high
maximum bit rate of 77 Mbps shooting in ALL-I compression—a
higher quality format that doesn’t erase frames. Cinema-like
5/6/15 11:29 AM

ABOVE: The 3-inch display pops out and swivels around, making it easy to frame video and, yes, take selfies.
24p and 25p frame rates are also available
in ALL-I. There are plenty of other features
on hand to help video shooters, including
focus peaking available in a choice of four
colors and three intensities. You can record
time code and output footage via HDMI for
external monitoring. There’s a mic input for
external audio recording, but you’ll need to
spring for the HLD-8G external grip ($129) for
a headphone jack for audio monitoring.
The E-M5 Mark II costs $1,100 for the body.
IMAGE QUALITY
We tested the E-M5 Mark II in tandem
with photographer David Patiño, who was
shooting marketing images for a local salon
using his Canon 5D Mark III when we delivered
the Olympus. He grabbed the E-M5 Mark II at
the end of his shoot to see how it would fare.
On his 60-inch LCD TV, the images from the
two cameras were nearly indistinguishable. In
fact, the reds were snappier on the Olympus
while fine details, like the stitching in fabric,
were equally well resolved when we magnified
images to 100 percent. We enjoyed excellent
results through ISO 6,400, though noise crept
in above that in JPEGs.
The E-M5 Mark II’s 16-megapixel sensor
isn’t at the top of its class as far as resolution is
concerned, but Olympus has incorporated a
new trick that lets the sensor punch above its
Rf_Review_Olympus_0615.indd 77
weight. A new High Res Shot mode leverages
the image stabilizer to slightly shift the sensor
by .5-pixel steps while the camera snaps eight
shots. Those frames are compiled in camera
to create a single, 40-megapixel image. RAW
files, typically in the 14MB range, balloon to
over 100MB and you’ll need a free plug-in for
Adobe Photoshop to process them.
We shot with the mode and quickly learned
that it’s super sensitive to motion—yours and
your subject’s. It’s impossible to use handheld,
and even on a tripod; it needs to be used with
a timed delay so your hand is completely off
the camera before the shutter fires as even the
slightest vibration will cause blur.
DESIGN
The E-M5 Mark II is ready to
take whatever nature throws at you. It’s
water resistant, dust proof and, unlike its
predecessor, confirmed freeze proof to a
temperature of 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The
weather-sealed, magnesium alloy build gives
the Mark II a very durable feel, but it’s also
quite slim, compact and lightweight. In fact,
it’s so squat that the bottom half of our hand
was constantly dangling off the bottom of the
camera. “It’s almost too small for its own good,”
was how Patiño aptly put it. The accessory grip
we mentioned (the HLD-8G) not only provides
audio monitoring but also gives the Mark II a
H A N D S- O N
firmer grip—we think many shooters will want
the extra real estate.
WHAT WE LIKED
As mentioned, the image quality from
the Mark II is excellent. The image stabilization
is even more impressive. The five-axis system
accurately compensates for basically any
conceivable movement outside of throwing
the camera into a dryer (note to Olympus: we
didn’t do that).
In a series of exposures from 1/10 sec.
down to 1/4 sec. handheld, the stabilization
system was able to keep images almost entirely
blur-free. At 1/4 sec. it was harder to maintain
a completely blur-free image, but when we
switched IS off, the image was a total washout.
It was even better in video.
We took the E-M5 Mark II for a stroll next to
the Canon 7D Mark II with the EFS 18-135mm
IS lens while recording HD video. The Olympus
footage was notably smoother. You may not
be able to abandon a Glidecam or similar rig
in every scenario, but you can have a lot more
confidence that videos shot with the E-M5
Mark II will hold up even under a fair amount
of hand movement.
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
The on-screen menu system on the
E-M5 Mark II can be a pain to navigate. There’s
a welcome abundance of features on the
camera, but getting at them in the menu takes
too much scrolling and hunting around. The
custom buttons help, but those are still a poor
substitute for a more intuitive menu. Also,
there’s no real-time exposure preview on the
LCD except for white balance when you’re
shooting stills.
HOW IT COMPARES
The E-M5 Mark II isn’t the fastest
mirrorless on the market—it trails models like
Samsung’s pricier NX1 and Nikon’s new J5 in
the burst department. It’s also missing some
features, like 4K video and support for external
recorders, which are increasingly prominent in
this category. What’s more, the 16-megapixel
sensor, while on par with models like Fujifilm’s
X-T1, isn’t packing the pixels like many cameras
in the $1,000-$1,300 price range. Still, only
Sony’s a7 II can deliver a five-axis image
stabilizer and that’s on a larger, heavier full
frame body costing $600 more than the E-M5
Mark II. The E-M5 Mark II has better weather
sealing than most competitors in its class,
plus great still photo and HD video quality. A
pop-out display, Wi-Fi and compact, versatile
design make the Mark II a very solid sequel.
RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 77
5/6/15 11:29 AM
 H A N D S- O N B Y TO N Y N O RT H R UP

H A R D WA R E R E V I E W

A PORTABLE POWERHOUSE
The Nikon D5500 is our pick for one of the best all-around cameras on the market.

At $900 for the body or $1,100 with

a lens, the Nikon D5500 is the perfect
camera for beginning and enthusiast
photographers, and even serious photographers
who want to upgrade to another body.
We tested this mid-range, 24-megapixel, five
frames-per-second DSLR with both Nikon kit lenses
(the 18-55mm and 18-140mm) and the Nikon 70-200mm
f/2.8 VR II, and compared it against all comparably priced
Nikon, Canon, Sony and Olympus cameras. Here are our findings.

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 H A N D S- O N

IMAGE QUALITY
Until you’re ready to upgrade to a full-frame camera, the
D5500’s image quality is bested only by the more expensive
Nikon D7200. At low ISOs, it’s hard to spot any noise, even in the
shadows. At ISO 3200 and above (which we used for indoor sports)
noise is definitely visible, but it’s as good as we’ve ever gotten from
an APS-C camera. The kit lens doesn’t do the 24-megapixel sensor
justice, so if you want really sharp photos, you’ll need to switch to
primes or upgrade to the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 ($800).
If you’re a raw shooter who edits your photos, you’ll love the
14 stops of dynamic range (as measured by DxOMark). You’ll be
able to recover about two stops of overexposed highlights and
three stops of underexposed shadows. This wide dynamic range
improved final image quality in contrast-y situations, such as night
photography in a city. It also allowed us to recover shine in dark
hair to improve portraits without introducing noise.
Casual videography is easier on the D5500 than any other
Nikon, owing to the articulating screen that allows you to touch
to autofocus. Though it doesn’t record in 4K, it does support
1080p with a super-smooth 60 fps. Noise wasn’t noticeable until
we reached ISO 1600. However, autofocusing while recording is
slow and jerky. Though it has a microphone jack, more serious
videographers will miss headphones for monitoring.

DESIGN
At a glance, the D5500 looks like almost every other DSLR.
We weighed it at 1 pound with the battery but without a lens—
about the same as the smaller D3300, but with a deeper, more
comfortable grip. It’s about half a pound lighter than the D7200,
making it a far better choice for travel and hiking.

WHAT WE LIKED
Like the D5300, the D5500 is an affordable jack-of-all-trades.
Nikon’s first touch screen works well. For those of us accustomed to
older cameras, the touch screen speeds up the process of zooming
in to review pictures for sharpness and allows you to easily focus
anywhere when using live view. For the younger generation that
grew up with smartphones, it’s a must-have.
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
Unfortunately, Nikon chose to remove the GPS module
that they had included in the D5300. We loved being able to
see our photos in Lightroom’s Map module, especially for travel
photography. If you’d rather have GPS over a touch screen, the
D5300 is still available new, (it’s $100 less expensive than the
D5500) and it’s otherwise almost identical.
HOW IT COMPARES
The Nikon D3300 is only $500, and has the same image
quality as the D5500. Many users will get better photos by
spending the extra $300 on an external flash (like the Newer VK750
II, $50), a tripod (such as the Dolica AX620B100, $50), and a Nikon
50mm f/1.8G (about $217). However, the D5500 has far better
usability and focusing, and it supports bracketing to make it easier
to capture HDR photos.
Serious sports and wildlife photographers will want to step up
to the Nikon D7200 ($1,100) or Canon’s 70D ($1,000), both of
which got almost twice as many sharp shots in our low-light indoor
TOP AND ABOVE:The swing-out display on the D5500 makes it easier to
frame and film video. It’s also a touch screen so you can touch-to-focus
in live view.
sports scenario. Those cameras also have larger buffers, capturing
17 consecutive RAW photos each, while the D5500 captured only
six. The D7200 also offers very slightly sharper pictures thanks to
the removal of the anti-aliasing filter.
Frequent travelers might be happier with a smaller mirrorless
camera, such as the Sony a5100 ($600), which has similar image
quality but lacks an optical viewfinder and has fewer available
lenses.
We welcome Tony Northrup to our roster of tech writers. He is an award-
winning photographer and author with more than 30 how-to books
to his name. Tony studied photography at the New England School of
Photography and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and
runs a stock and portrait photography business with his family, Chelsea
and Madelyn, out of his home studio in Waterford, Connecticut.

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 PRODUCT ROUNDUP B Y T H E A N O N IK ITA S

TAKE IT Elinchrom ELB 400

This compact but powerful portable flash system comes

TO GO
in four different configurations and offers a number of
features that makes working on location a breeze. The 424
W/s ELB 400’s battery pack measures 7.3 x 6 x 3.3 inches,
weighs a mere 4.4 pounds, and can output up to 350 full
Shooting on location, power flashes on a single charge. Switch to the lowest
especially when in power setting and this little battery can crank out between
exotic lands, can 5,500 and 6,000 flashes (Fast Recycle and Eco modes,
respectively). An integrated EL Skyport transceiver adds
be exciting but also convenience to the setup, as does its OLED display for
cumbersome. The quick access to the ELB 400’s options, including the
new Strobo, Sequence and Delayed flash functions.
challenges of moving
from the comfort of price: tbd
+ www.elinchrom.com
your studio are many,
not least of which are
deciding what gear
to take and how to Nexto DI Backup ND 2901
get it all from point While backing up files to an external hard drive may be
faster, there are few options as convenient as the Nexto
A to B. We’ve put DI Backup ND 2901. This portable memory card backup
together a list of 10 device comes with CompactFlash and SD/SDHC/SDXC
card slots and a 1.44-inch color LCD for accessing menus
portable products for and previewing images. With 90 minutes of battery life,
you to consider when it’s also versatile, having the ability to directly sync data
assignments take you to an external USB drive for an extra backup copy. The
cross-platform compatible drive is available in 500GB,
on the road. 750GB and 1TB capacities and measures an easily
portable 5 x 3 x 0.9 inches.

prices: $430-$500
+ www.nextodiusa.com

Think Tank Photo Production Manager 40

With room for up to three to four flash heads, two or three
power packs and monoblocks (plus necessary cables and
accessories), there’s never a reason to leave lighting gear at
home. Smaller pieces can be organized in the Production
Manager 40’s interior zip pockets, while medium-sized
softboxes, reflectors and light modifiers go in the outside
(lockable) zippered pocket. Strap lightstands and/or tripods
to the outside of the 15.7 x 40 x 12.6-inch case, and you’re
good to go.

price: $549
+ www.thinktankphoto.com

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 PRODUCT ROUNDUP

ExpoImaging Rogue FlashBender

2 XL Pro Lighting System
When you’re traveling really light, ExpoImaging’s new Rogue
FlashBender 2 XL Pro (13.8 ounces with its own travel bag)
may be the modifier kit you need to tame your speed lights.
The kit contains the largest FlashBender Pro Reflector, a
Pro Strip Grid Attachment and the Pro Soft Box Diffuser
Attachment. The reflector is lighter and softer than its
predecessors, with improved flexibility and a revamped belt
and buckle, which attaches to any flash with a circumference
between 8 and 9 ¾ inches. Add the new XL Pro Strip Grid
with its strip diffusion panel and fabric grid to shape your
light to perfection (plus, it now has a bottom panel to
prevent light leaks). The kit packs neatly into the included
travel bag. FlashBender 2 reflectors are also available in
small and large sizes.

prices: $100 (pro lighting system); $35/$50 (small

reflector/with softbox modifier); $40/$65 (large
reflector/with softbox modifier)
+ www.expoimaging.com

Tenba Transport Air Case Attache
Tough enough to meet—or exceed—ATA (Air Transport Association)
shipping standards, Tenba’s wheel-equipped Transport Air
Cases will withstand even the harshest handling en route to your
destination. Although available in a variety of sizes, the large model,
which measures 21 x 17 x 9 inches (exterior), is ideal for shipping
a full complement of camera gear, a small lighting kit or a 27-inch
iMac. Even with its specially-designed rigid frame construction, the
case is relatively lightweight at 14.3 pounds. Interior walls are lined
and reinforced, and the padded dividers can be customized to
protect whatever gear you pack.
price: $567
+ www.tenba.com
Profoto B2
Following the success of the Profoto B1, the
company recently released the B2—a smaller,
cordless off- or on-camera flash. The heads are
small and light enough to mount on a camera
bracket or on a light stand. Unlike the B1, the
B2 requires an external battery pack, but that’s a
small trade-off when you consider the generator
measures only 6.3 x 3.1 x 6.7 inches, weighs 3.5
pounds and fires up to 215 full-power flashes.
Among its many notable features, the 250W/s
B2 offers fast recycle times (1.35 seconds at
full power; 0.03 seconds at lowest power), TTL
metering for Canon and Nikon cameras using
Profoto’s Air Remote, and flash durations as
fast as 1/15,000 sec. With two available kits—
the B2 To-Go and B2 Location Kit—you’ll get
a battery, charger, one off-camera flash head,
battery carrying bag and custom shoulder bag.
The Location Kit adds two flash heads and two
batteries. (See the April issue for an in-depth
look at the B2.)

prices: $2,195 (b2 to-go kit); $2,995

(location kit); $395 (air remote)
+ www.profoto.com

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 PRODUCT ROUNDUP

Savage Universal
Collapsible
Backdrop Kit
When you bring
your own backdrop
to a shoot, you’re
guaranteed that
your location shots
will have the look
and feel that you
want. Savage Universal’s
backdrop offerings come
with or without an 8-foot
aluminum stand, and fold to 1/3 of
their 5 x 6-foot size, neatly fitting into
the supplied carrying case. Available in
solid and decorative, the two-sided, non-
reflective cotton backdrops complement any shoot—whether your
preference is a lovely mottled pastel background (Spring Essence is
“Pose it, light it, love it” pictured here) or green screen.
CLAY BLACKMORE
prices: $149 (kit); $129 (backdrop without stand);
$162 (solid collapsible backdrop, 6 x 7 feet)
+ www.savageuniversal.com

10 YEARS AGO CLAY BLACKMORE

MADE THE QUANTUM LEAP
AND NEVER LOOKED BACK
Clay Blackmore is a master of lighting and classic
portraiture… and a big fan of Quantum portable
lighting equipment. “I’ve been using Quantum
lighting products for over ten years. Every time I
go outdoors, the Qflash goes with me because it
produces the full spectrum of color and delicate skin
tones that are essential to my work. Together with the user-friendly
wireless TTL CoPilot and the compact Turbo SC I have all the power,
control and versatility I need for capturing amazing shots.”
LaCie Rugged 1TB SSD
LaCie recently doubled storage capacity of its Rugged
Thunderbolt SSD drive to 1TB, and with transfer speeds up to
387 MB/s, this drive is as fast as it is tough. The drive’s sealed
design protects the SSD from vibrations and shock of up to a 6.6-
foot drop—plus dust, dirt and water splashes. LaCie claims the
drive can even be run over by a 1-ton car and survive. Its bright
orange case with tethered cable is easy to locate when you’re
digging through a gear bag, and it comes with both Thunderbolt
and USB 3.0 interfaces. While the 1TB SSD is its newest, LaCie’s
rugged Thunderbolt drives are available in both SSD and hard
disk models.

CoPilot prices: $950 (1tb ssd);

$500 (500gb ssd);
$300 (250gb ssd);
$270 (2tb hard drive);
$190 (1tb hard drive)
Qflash TRIO Turbo SC + www.lacie.com

Designed & Manufactured in the USA

A PromarkBRANDS Company ASK
www.qtm.com/qflash ABOUT
REBATES
800-989-0505
To request more information see page 95

82 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 PRODUCT ROUNDUP

G-Technology G-Drive ev ATC

No power?
Protecting your precious images from water, sand, dust and drops
from up to 2 meters, G-Technology’s all-terrain hard drive cases
are shockproof and sealed against the elements. Granted, there
are limits: the drive floats but will need to be rescued within 30
No problem!
seconds from a dunk in 1 foot of water. The enclosure (which can
be purchased separately) is compatible with any of the company’s
Evolution Series G-Drive ev products and available with Thunderbolt
ION Portable Power
or USB 3.0 connectivity. The case comes with a tethered cable,
which is ideal for location shooting where accessories can easily go for Studio Lights
astray, and includes a three-year limited warranty.

prices: $230 (1tb thunderbolt);

$180 (1tb usb 3.0); $130 (thunderbolt case only)
+ www.g-technology.com

Image © Pete Wright

FJ Westcott Omega 10-in-1

Make remote shots as
Shoot Through Reflector convenient as studio work with
Making the most of what you’ve got on location is key, and FJ
Westcott’s Omega 10-in-1 Shoot Through Reflector gives you plenty
the new Photogenic ION...
of options (before collapsing to 14 x 14 x 2 inches for storage and
transport). Not only does it include a one-stop diffusion panel
throughout the frame, but Lithium ION
you also get silver, white and
sunlight reflective surfaces Pure Sine Wave Inverter
with a black subtractive
option. Couple this with the • Reliable, durable and compact
ability to remove the center • Compatible with most
2:3 panel to simulate beauty- monolights
dish or ring-light shooting,
and you have ten discrete
• Standard USB port
scenarios in which to shoot. • LED Power Monitor
Working with window light? • Dual 3-prong AC outlet
No problem. Soften the
natural light by positioning
• Produces over 1000* flashes CHECK OUT
and recharges quickly LATEST
the diffusion panel in front of
the window with the included REBATES
* Based on performance of 320 WS Monolight per charge
suction cups.

price: $120
+ www.fjwestcott.com
PHOTOGENIC ®

(800) 682.7668 • photogenic.com

To request more information see page 95

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 83

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 OM-D E-M5 II Mirrorless System Camera Lumix DMC-GH4 4K Mirrorless System Camera
NEW
• TruePic VII Image Processor • Micro 4/3 System • DCI 4K 4096x2160 at 24p
• 3.0" Tilting OLED Monitor • Built-In WiFi • UHD 4K 3840x2160 at 30p/24p
• Full HD 1080i Video • 3.0" LCD • Live View Finder • Full HD
• SDHC/SDXC Card Slot up to 60p • High-Speed 49-Point AF
• 5-Axis VCM Image Stabilization • Support for 59.94p, 23.98p, 50p, & 24p
• 10 Frames Per Second • 4:2:2 8-Bit or 10-Bit HDMI Output
• Dust and Splashproof Construction Mega
16 Pixels
• Magnesium Alloy, Weather-Sealed Body
Body Only (Black or Silver) #OLOMDEM5* Body Only #PADMCGH4* 16 Mega
Pixels

EOS-60D DSLR EOS-6D DSLR

The Professional’s Source™ • Full-Frame CMOS Sensor • 3.0" LCD
• 1920 x 1080 HD Video Capture
• DIGIC 4 Image Processor • HDMI Output to HDTV • DIGIC 5+ Image Processor • Uses Canon EF Lenses
• SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slot • SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slot
• Works with all Canon EF & EF-S Lenses • Built-In Wi-Fi and GPS Connectivity
• Vari-Angle Clear View 3.0" Flip-Out LCD • Full HD 1080p with Manual Controls

www.BandH.com • 5.3 fps Continuous Shooting • Built-In HDR and Multiple

• ISO 6400 - Expandable to 12800 Exposure Modes 20 Mega
Pixels
Mega
18 Pixels
Body Only #CAE6D ����������������������������������������1,699.00
Body Only #CAE60D ������������������������������������������������ Kit with 24-105mm f/4 L #CAE6D24105 ��������2,299.00

When in New York, EOS-70D DSLR EOS-5D Mark III D-SLR

Visit our SuperStore • Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Live View • 3.2" Clear View High Resolution LCD
• DIGIC 5+ Image Processor • DIGIC 5+ Image Processor • 61-Point
420 Ninth Ave. • SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slot High Density AF • Uses Canon EF Lenses
Corner of 34th Street • Uses Canon EF & EF-S Lenses • Dual CF, SD Card Slots • Up to 6.0 FPS
• 3.0" Vari-Angle Touchscreen • Full HD 1080/30p and 720/60p Formats
New York, N.Y. 10001 • 7 fps Continuous Shooting 20 Mega
Pixels • Built-In HDR and Multiple
• Full HD 1080p Video Exposure Modes 22 Mega
Pixels

Body Only #CAE70D��������������������������������������� 1,199.00 Body Only #CAE5D3* �����������������������������������2,799.00

Kit with 18-55mm STM #CAE70D1855 ����������1,349.00 Kit with 24-105mm L IS #CAE5D324105������3,399.00

EOS-7D Mark II DSLR EOS-1Dx D-SLR

• 3" Clear View II LCD • Native ISO 16000 • Dual DIGIC 5+ Image Processors
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Live View • Magnesium Alloy Body
• Dual CF and SDHC/XC Card Slots • Eye-Level Pentaprism Viewfinder
• Built-In GPS Receiver & Digital Compass • 3.2" LCD Monitor • Uses Canon EF Lenses
• Full HD 1080p/60 Video • Dual CF card slots
20 Mega
Pixels
• 1920 x 1080 HD Video Capture
Body Only #CAE7D2�����������������������������������������1,799.00 • Live View Still and Video Recording
EOS 7D Body Only #CAE7D�������������������������������������������� • 61-Point High Density Auto Focus 18 Mega
Pixels
EOS 7D Kit with 18-135mm IS #CAE7D18135 ���������������
EOS 7D Kit with 28-135mm IS #CAE7D28135��������������� #CAE1DX* ����������������������������������� 5,999.00
Body Only #CAE1DX*�

Call for Available Rebates & Promotions Call for Available Rebates & Promotions
on Select Bodies, Lenses and Flashes! on Select Bodies, Lenses and Flashes!

EOS Flash System (USA)
270EX II ..........169.99 430EX II ..........299.99
320EX ........................ 600 EX-RT.......549.99
MR-14EX Ringlight...................................549.99
MT-24EX Twin Flash.................................829.99
EF-S Lenses for Digital Only (USA)
(Not compatible with full frame cameras)
60/2.8 USM Macro (52ø)..........................469.99
10-22/3.5-4.5 USM (77ø) ........................649.99
15-85/3.5-5.6 IS USM (72ø) ....................799.99
17-55/2.8 IS USM (67ø)...........................879.99
17-85/4-5.6 IS USM (67ø) .......................599.99
18-135/3.5-5.6 IS (67ø) ..........................499.99
18-200/3.5-5.6 IS (72ø) ..........................699.99
55-250/4.0-5.6 IS USM (58ø) ..................249.99
Over 70,000 square feet
EF Lenses (USA)
of the latest gear 20/2.8 USM (72ø) ....................................539.99
24/2.8 IS USM (58ø) ................................599.99
The most knowledgeable 28/2.8 IS USM (58ø) ................................549.99
Sales Professionals 35/2 IS USM (67ø) ...................................599.99
50/1.8 II (52ø) .........................................125.99
Hands-on demos 50/1.4 USM (58ø) ....................................399.99
50/2.5 Macro (52ø)..................................299.99
Convenient free parking 85/1.8 USM (58ø) ......................................419.99
100/2 USM (58ø) .....................................499.99
available 100/2.8 USM Macro (58ø)........................599.99
28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM (72ø) ..................479.99
70-300/4-5.6 IS USM (58ø) .....................649.99
70-300/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM (58ø) .................1399.00
75-300/4.0-5.6 III (58ø) ...........................199.99
75-300/4.0-5.6 III USM (58ø) ...................234.99
TS-E MF Lenses (USA)
17/4.0 L........2149.00 24/3.5 L II .......1899.00
45/2.8 ..........1399.00 90/2.8 ..........1399.00
EF “L” Lenses (USA)
14/2.8 USM II ........................................2099.00
24/1.4 II (77ø) .......................................1549.00
35/1.4 USM (72ø) ..................................1479.00
50/1.2 USM (72ø) ..................................1449.00
85/1.2 USM II (72ø) ...............................1999.00
100/2.8 IS USM Macro (67ø) ....................899.99
135/2.0 USM (72ø) ..................................999.00
180/3.5 USM Macro (72ø)......................1399.00
200/2.0 IS USM (52ø) ............................5699.00
300/4.0 IS USM (77ø) ............................1349.00
300/2.8 IS USM II (52ø rear)...................6099.00
400/5.6 USM (77ø) ................................1249.00
8-15/4.0 Fish-eye USM..........................1249.00
16-35/2.8 USM II (82ø) ..........................1599.00
17-40/4.0 USM (77ø) ..............................799.99
24-70/4.0 IS USM (77ø)...........................999.99
24-70/2.8 USM II (82ø) ..........................1899.00
24-105/4 IS USM (77ø)............................999.99
28-300/3.5-5.6 IS USM (77ø) ................2449.00
70-200/4.0 IS USM (77ø).......................1199.00
70-200/2.8 USM (77ø) ..........................1349.00
70-200/2.8 IS II USM (77ø) ....................2099.00
70-300/4.0-5.6 IS USM (67ø) ................1349.00
100-400/4.5-5.6 IS USM (77ø) ..............1699.00
1.4x III Tele .......429.99 2x III Tele .........429.99
AF Flashes
SB-300 ...........146.95 SB-700 ...........326.95
SB-500 ...........246.95 SB-910 ...........546.95
R1 Wireless Twin Flash ........................................
R1C1 Wireless Twin Flash System ........................
DX ED-IF Lenses for Digital Only
10.5/2.8 Fish-Eye ...............................................
35/1.8 G AF-S (52ø) ................................ 196.95
40/2.8 G AF-S Micro (52ø) ....................... 276.95
85/3.5 G ED VR Micro (52ø) ..................... 526.95
10-24/3.5-4.5 G AF-S (77ø)................................
12-24/4 G AF-S (77ø) .........................................
16-85/3.5-5.6 G AF-S VR (67ø) ...........................
17-55/2.8 G AF-S (77ø) ......................................
18-55/3.5-5.6 G AF-S II (52ø) .............................
18-55/3.5-5.6 G AF-S VR (52ø) ................ 196.95
18-105/3.5-5.6 G AF-S VR (67ø) .............. 396.95
18-200/3.5-5.6 G AF-S VR II (72ø) ........... 596.95
18-300/3.5-5.6 G AF-S ED VR (77ø) ................ 996.95
55-200/4-5.6 G AF-S (52ø).................................
55-200/4-5.6 G AF-S VR (52ø) ................. 246.95
55-300/4.5-5.6 G AF-S VR (58ø) .............. 396.95
D-Type AF Lenses
14/2.8 D ED ............... 24/2.8 D (52ø)............
16/2.8 D (39ø) with Hood ....................................
24/3.5 D ED PC-E (77ø) ......................................
28/1.8 G AF-S (67ø) ................................ 696.95
28/2.8 D (52ø)............ 35/2.0 D (52ø)............
45/2.8 D ED PC-E Micro (77ø) .............................
D-Type AF Lenses
50/1.8 D (52ø)............ 50/1.4 D (52ø)............
50/1.8 G AF-S (58ø) ................................ 216.95
50/1.4 G AF-S (58ø) ...........................................
60/2.8 D Micro (62ø) (1:1) ..................................
60/2.8 G AF-S ED Micro (62ø) .............................
85/1.8 G AF-S (67ø) ................................ 496.95
85/1.4 D IF (77ø) ................................................
85/1.4 G AF-S (77ø) ...........................................
105/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF VR Micro (62ø) ..................
105/2.0 DC D with Hood (72ø) ............................
180/2.8 D ED-IF (72ø).........................................
200/4 D ED-IF Micro w/Case (62ø) ......................
200/2 G AF-S ED-IF VR II (52ø) ............................
300/4.0 D AF-S ED-IF (77ø) ................................
14-24/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF......................... 1996.95
16-35/4.0 G AF-S ED VR (77ø) ............... 1256.95
17-35/2.8 D AF-S ED-IF (77ø) .............................
18-35/3.5-4.5 G ED (77ø)........................ 746.95
24-70/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF (77ø) ................ 1886.95
24-85/2.8-4.0 D IF (72ø) ....................................
24-120/4.0 G AF-S ED VR (77ø) ................... 1296.95
28-300/3.5-5.6 G AF-S ED VR (77ø) .............. 1046.95
70-200/2.8 G AF-S ED-IF VR II (77ø)................ 2396.95
70-300/4.5-5.6 G-AFS VR (67ø)............... 586.95
80-200/2.8 D with Collar (77ø)............................
80-400/4.5-5.6 D VR (77ø) .................................
200-400/4 G AF-S ED VR II (52ø).........................
TC-14E II (1.4x) Teleconverter ..............................
TC-17E II (1.7x) .......... TC-20E III (2x).............

Subscribe to our
free Catalog
BandH.com/catalog 10-22/3.5-4.5 600 EX-RT 18-200/3.5-5.6 DX G AF-S SB-910 Speedlight i-TTL
212-444-6633
EF-S USM Digital Lens Shoe Mount Flash ED-IF VR II Digital Lens Shoe Mount Flash
• Exclusively designed for Digital SLRs • Dust and water resistance • Exclusively designed for Digital SLRs • Tungsten & Fluorescent Filters Included
• 35mm equiv. • Guide No. 197' • 35mm equiv. • Guide No. 111.5'
16-35mm • Wireless Radio 27-300mm • Simplified Graphic
• 3 aspherical Multiple Flash System • VR II Vibration Reduction User Interface (GUI)
lens elements • Bounce and • SWM (Silent • Bounce, Swivel
• 3.5-27 f/Stop Range Swivel Head Wave Motor) & Zoom Head
Page 1 • Minimum focus 9.5" • Zoom Head (20-200mm) • 3.5-22 f/Stop Range (17-200mm)
• 77mm filter diameter • 18 Custom Functions • Focus 1.6' to Infinity • Wireless Controller
• Weight 13.6 oz • Weight: 15 oz • Weight 19.8 oz • Weight 14.8 oz

Prices, specifications, and images are subject to change without notice. Manufacturer rebates are subject to the terms and conditions (including expiration dates) printed on the manufacturers’ rebate forms. Not responsible for typographical or illustrative errors. © 2000-2015 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp. NY

X_X_RF_0615_BH.indd 88 4/22/2015 2:39 PM

 Alpha A6000 Mirrorless System Camera Alpha A7II Mirrorless System Camera
• Uses Sony E-mount Lenses • Full Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor
• 3.0" Tilting LCD• SD, SDHC, SDXC, • 3.0" Tiltable LCD • SDHC, SDXC,
MS Pro Duo, MS PRO HG Duo Card Slot MS Pro Duo, MS PRO HG Duo Card Slot
• Weather-Resistant Magnesium Alloy Body
• Full HD 1080i/p AVCHD Video at 24/60 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi and NFC
• Up to 11 fps Shooting and ISO 25600 • 5-Axis SteadyShot INSIDE Stabilization
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC • Full HD XAVC S Video & S-Log2 Gamma
• Available in Black or Silver 24 Mega
Pixels
Body Only #SOA72
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X_X_RF_0615_BH.indd 89 4/22/2015 2:39 PM

 DIG I TA L G U R U B Y J O H N R E T T IE

THE NAB REPORT

Couldn’t get to the show in Vegas this year? No problem.
We checked out the latest innovations for you.

I first attended the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in 1999, when Now, thanks to electronics and
Apple put on a splashy media presentation to launch Final Cut Pro. I found the show miniaturization, it’s possible to get small,
fascinating but the product was almost completely beyond what I could imagine affordable gyroscopic stabilizers that cost
owning or using. Fast-forward to current day—what a difference. Today’s NAB abounds with only a few hundred dollars.
gear that both still photographers and videographers of all skill levels will appreciate. Here are Use of a decent three-axis gimbals
five specific products that caught our eye right away. stabilizer is the only way to obtain good
footage when using a camera quadcopter
(or drone). Now derivatives of these systems
introducing progressively smaller and more are finding their way into handheld gimbals
MANFROTTO DIGITAL DIRECTOR affordable high-end video cameras with for under $500.
1
For still photographers, Digital different form factors. This year Blackmagic Development of digital stabilizers has
Director was possibly one of the most introduced the Micro Cinema Camera, which also come along with the development of
relevant new products on display: a device captures professional HD-quality footage. affordable drones and is driven largely by
that lets you control a Canon or Nikon DSLR The $995 camera body is positioned as Chinese companies.
remotely. While at first glance the Digital a remote control body for use on drones A couple that caught my eye were the
Director looks similar to other such devices or custom-made rigs. It uses a Micro Four Nebula 4000 lite (pictured, www.filmpower.
on the market, such as the CamRanger, this Thirds lens mount, so there is a wide variety com) for small cameras such as the Sony
one has its own microprocessor that plugs of lens choices. ProRes or 12-bit CinemaDNG A7 or Panasonic GH4 and the ikan Fly-X3
into an iPad and is connected to a DLSR footage is stored on an SD card or can be (www.ikancorp.com/ikanfly) for GoPro and
via a USB cable up to 10 feet in length. The transferred via an expansion port. An HDMI smartphone cameras.
biggest advantage is a more reliable and port provides linkage to an external monitor.
faster connection than relying on Wi-Fi or It has a global shutter that eliminates the PANASONIC AG-DVX200
4
Bluetooth. rolling shutter effect that occurs with video Panasonic gave us a glimpse at some
Digital Director also provides remote captured on a DSLR when you’re shooting at of its future 4K video plans by previewing
control for all the camera’s functions, 30 fps. Bump frame rates to 60 fps and you’ll the AG-DVX200. It’s a fixed lens camcorder
including manual focus. One very useful switch to rolling shutter mode. with a new Four Thirds CMOS image sensor
feature is focus peaking, which highlights Blackmagic also introduced a new, capable of 12 stops of dynamic range.
what parts of an image are in sharp focus. down-sized URSA. The URSA Mini should The DVX200 will record 4K (4096 × 2160)
It’s also possible to zoom in on the iPad to weigh about half as much as its predecessor at 24 fps as well as UHD (3840 × 2160) at up
more critically check focus. Images can be (reviewed in Rangefinder’s May Motion to 60 fps and HD up to 120 fps in either MP4
downloaded to the iPad as needed and issue). It can be purchased with the original / MOV file formats to a pair of SD cards.
some simple editing can be performed 4K sensor for $2,995 or with a new 4.6K According to Panasonic, the DVX200 will
on JPEG copies. They can be emailed image sensor with an amazing 15 stops of feature the same tonality and colorimetry as
or uploaded by FTP with an Internet dynamic range for $4,995. For wedding the company’s VariCam lineup.
connection. videographers battling with low light, On the optics front, you’ll find a 13X
In many ways Digital Director is exactly the URSA Mini 4.6K may be an attractive Leica Dicomar f/2.8-4.5 zoom lens with three
what many photographers have been alternative to a DSLR. manual rings for focus, iris and zoom. The
clamoring for: full integration of an iPad with lens uses a five-axis hybrid image stabilizer
a DSLR. Apple obviously approves, as Digital GIMBALS AND DRONES to keep footage blur-free. Additional
3
Director is the only Apple Certified Interface Yes, gyroscope camera stabilization features include time-code in/out, 3G
available for controlling a camera. It goes on systems have been around for many years, HD-SDI and HDMI 2.0 (4K) video outputs.
sale this month for $499. but they have always been costly and (Panasonic plans to ship the DVX200 in the
rather unwieldy. Body-mounted steady cam fall for under $5,000.)
BLACKMAGIC DESIGN’S MICRO systems caught on as a less expensive and
2
CINEMA CAMERA easier way to stabilize camcorders for shots CANON XC10 - HYBRID CAMERA
5
This Australian company has made a that required a cameraman to move while Industry pundits have long predicted
big splash at NAB for the past few years, shooting. that many photographers would eventually

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 DIG I TA L G U R U

2 3

To request more information see page 95

DIVE INTO
MEMBERSHIP!

4 5 30% DIScount
ON ENTry fEEs
TO all PDN aND
Photo © Lou Mora

be using hybrid cameras capable of shooting video with enough quality to pull still photos
from the video frames. The first ones truly capable of this feat were the RED series of RaNgefiNDeR
cameras introduced in the past few years. However, they cost a ton of money and have
been aimed more at cinema photographers with large budgets. phOTO cONTEsTs!
Canon surprised us when they announced the XC10 a few days before NAB. Weighing
in at 2.3 pounds, this square-bodied camera shoots 4K video at up to 30 frames per
second or HD video at 60 fps. It uses a 12-megapixel CMOS one-inch sensor that has a
12-stop dynamic range and a high ISO of 20,000. Still images extracted from 4K video
have an 8-megapixel resolution.
The XC10 grip is attached to the right side of the camera and can be rotated up to 90 w w w.P H o t o S E R v E .c o M /M E M B E R S H I P
degrees for added versatility. There is no optical viewfinder but it has a removable prism
Photo © Lou Mora

viewfinder that clips onto the tilting LCD monitor.

The 10x (24-240mm equivalent) zoom lens is not removable. Canon says part of the
reason is that it is uniquely tailored to 4K shooting with the XC10’s sensor. 4K video is
saved on the included 64GB CFast card while a second storage slot uses an SD card for
saving HD video and stills. The camera goes on sale this month for about $2,500.

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 F IR S T E X P O S U R E
APP RE VIEW
APPLE’S PHOTOS
Taking editing into the mobile era.
With Apple announcing the demise of iPhoto nearly a
year ago, it comes as no surprise that part of the free
OS X 10.10.3 update finally introduces the new Photos
app. Photos modernizes iPhoto and brings the interface and
editing into the mobile era. This means that edits made on any
Apple device carry over to every other device.
Photos is also designed to replace Apple’s Aperture app,
but those comfortable with Aperture will likely continue to
do their editing using Aperture’s somewhat more robust
editing tools. Neither iPhoto nor Aperture are removed from
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B Y STA N SH O LIK
PHOTOS © STAN SHOLIK
ABOVE: With Apple’s new Photos app,
you can expand the Adjust tool to show
sliders to precisely adjust the image.
your computer during the Photos installation, and the images
stored in those older apps remain accessible. However,
neither program will see further development; their future
beyond OS X 10 is highly uncertain. When you first open
Photos, the app asks you what photos you want to import.
Both iPhoto and Aperture options are available. After this
initial import, you can import images from anywhere on your
computer, or from your camera or card reader.
Another plus: you can share a Photos image with Aperture
using the “Add to Aperture” feature.
5/7/15 11:25 AM
 F IR S T E X P O S U R E

WHAT’S NEW
Although you will find hints of its ADORAMA
WANTS
predecessors in the new app, Photos
sports an entirely new design and a
new editing workflow. Photos divides
your images into the same Moments,

TO BUY
Collections and Years as iOS. This
organization is fun and useful, but the real
power is in Albums, accessible as a tab
in the Photos menu bar when the sidebar
is closed, and in Smart Albums. Albums

YOUR USED PHOTO

are collections of photos and videos that
you create and populate, while Smart

& VIDEO GEAR

Albums automatically collect images using
parameters you set.
The most innovative feature in Photos
is the ability to manage and synchronize
all images and videos across all devices
through the iCloud Photo Library. If you
were dying to bring the organization of
your desktop photo library to your mobile
device, the wait is over. Through the
iCloud Photo Library, Photos manages
and updates all devices seamlessly,
although, as you’ll see below, it won’t do
so inexpensively.

The most innovative

feature in Photos is the
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USER FRIENDLINESS
As with all Apple apps designed
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as user friendly as an image management

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familiar to those who have used iOS 8

and Photos for iOS in the last six months.
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above the Mac desktop in familiar OS X 42 W 18TH ST NYC FREE 1-3 DAY SHIPPING
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management and editing with an app that
hides my desktop. Photos accommodates
this, and once I set the option and sized

Rangefinder 2_3 used 3_15.indd 1

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1/26/15 4:54 PM

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 F IR S T E X P O S U R E

the window, this became my new default workspace.

With the Photos interface set to my liking, the browser
presents a clean, white and light-gray color scheme, with
lots of negative space, while the edit module is black with
slightly lighter dark-gray tones. For new users, the Edit module
presents six basic tools: Enhance, Rotate, Crop, Filters, Adjust
and Retouch. The Enhance tool makes automatic adjustments
and does so pretty well. The other tools have basic adjustments
with visual references for beginners, with additional power
available by clicking downward-facing arrows for more
advanced users.

WHAT WE LIKED
Even in its first release, Photos feels like a mature program.
The app delivers on Apple’s prerelease promises of a simple, fast
and powerful photo manager with editing capabilities and the
ability to synchronize a photo library across desktop, laptop and
iOS devices. Apple Photos effortlessly imports, updates, and syncs
still images and videos across devices with only minimal need
for user input, although more advanced users can exercise some
degree of control with albums and smart albums. The Edit module
looks simple when first opened, but there are a few relatively
powerful sliders available behind the simpler tools in the Adjust
group for more advanced users. You can also add a histogram,
levels, white balance, sharpening, noise reduction and vignetting
controls by clicking Add in the Adjust title bar and selecting the
adjustments you want to display.
SA

$5
VE And the non-destructive image edits you make on one device

0
UP automatically sync across all devices. You can start editing on your
TO
iPhone or iPad and finish editing on your Mac, or with any other
IN
ST combination of Apple devices, and the edits synchronize on every
AN
TL other device when you connect to the iCloud.
Y
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE
If you accept that Photos is not a professional-level
imaging app, there is very little to criticize. It doesn’t accept
plug-ins, nor does it connect to any external editing application
other than Aperture. The brushes found in Aperture are missing in
Photos, as is the loupe, but most users probably won’t miss these.
But I do have issues with the iCloud Photo Library. For one, all

ABOVE: Photos allows you to import directly from your camera or a card
reader as well as locations on your computer.
To request more information see page 95

90 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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090_R_RF_0615.indd 90 5/13/2015 10:33 AM
 F IR S T E X P O S U R E

ABOVE: Images with GPS metadata will display on a map.

media in the default Photos System Photo Library is added to the

iCloud Photo Library. If there are images in Photos that you do not
want online for any reason, you must remove them from the default
Photos library or your iOS device.
Which brings me to my major gripe with Photos and the iCloud
Photo Library: I filled my free 5GB allocation in iCloud with imports when you’re
just for this article. Additional storage is expensive relative to the
cost of using Dropbox, Google or Amazon Prime. Rather than behind the camera,
compete with these services, Apple seems content to milk its users.

is behind you.
Even in its first release, Photos
feels like a mature program. The
app delivers on Apple’s prerelease
promises of a simple, fast and
powerful photo manager with
editing capabilities and the ability
to synchronize a photo library across
desktop, laptop and iOS devices.
Your go-to resource for professional tools,
in-depth knowledge and production support.
HOW IT COMPARES SHOP RENT PRINT LEARN TRADE
While I honestly had little use for iPhoto, Photos is a
different beast entirely. Professional photographers, myself
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the life of Mac desktop and iOS users, and even Windows users
connected to the iCloud.

RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 91

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 D S L R VID E O B Y IB A R IO N E X P E R E LLO

HELPING HANDS
Five great stabilizers to keep your video silky smooth.

Camera shake provides a great creative look for a horror
film, but it’s less than ideal for photographing events—
especially weddings. It’s distracting and often takes away
from the moments you’re working so hard to capture.
Getting smooth and steady video is a combination of both
good technique and advanced technology. While camera and
lens image stabilization have made amazing strides, they can’t do
it alone. Third-party accessories provide a step up in technology,
which, when mastered, allows you to produce cinema-quality
footage whether you are producing run-and-gun coverage or
creating time-lapse video.
You don’t necessarily have to invest in bulky and expensive
camera accessories, either. Here are some choices that will fit both
your needs and budget.

CAMERA MOTION RESEARCH’S

1
BLACKBIRD CAMERA STABILIZER
The Blackbird Camera Stabilizer offers a high-end 1 4
but affordable stabilizer for cameras weighing
between 1 and 8 pounds. Its unique design
provides very low friction, precise alignment and
durability.
The camera stage provides easy-to-handle
adjustment knobs for precision x-y positioning
of the camera for perfect leveling. Its well-
constructed dovetail guides delivers secure
footing for your camera and avoids the shifting
that can plague lesser models. The stage on which
the camera sits includes a scale to reference when
reattaching the camera, avoiding time spent
rebalancing the stabilizer.
The gimbal includes six precision ball
bearings that not only provide excellent control
but also the smooth feel that helps to deliver
quality footage.
2 5
price: $675 | + www.camotionllc.com

CAMALAPSE 4
2
Whether you’re interested in creating
dynamic time-lapse or panoramic video,
the Camalapse 4 provides an affordable
and compact solution for producing up to
360-degree/60 minutes of pictures or video.
Weighing just 3.9 ounces, the pocketable unit 3
supports camera equipment up to 5 pounds and
features metal-threaded tripod adapters on the
top and bottom. Its water-resistant design makes
it capable of handling a light rain or water spray.
The unit is easy to use by simply pointing
the camera in the direction where you want
the capture to stop and then twisting the base
toward your starting point. Start recording and
the Camalapse does the rest of the work for you,

92 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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 D S L R VID E O

π SHIPPING SUPPLY SPECIALISTS

slowly and gentling panning the camera toward your designated
end point while you sit back and relax. It’s available in black, red,
blue and silver. MAILERS FOR EVERY
price: $30 | + www.camalapse.com
SHAPE AND SIZE
SYRP GENIE MINI
3
The Syrp Genie Mini is an ultra-compact motion control
accessory that provides smooth and precise panning and tilting
for virtually any camera from a GoPro to a DSLR. It’s an ideal
accessory whether you’re creating smooth motion time-lapse or
real-time video.
The unit can be used on your existing tripod and then
controlled via your smartphone using the Syrp Genie app. You
can begin shooting by using the built-in presets within the app or ORDER BY 6 PM FOR
customize to fit your own needs.
SAME DAY SHIPPING
To provide further versatility, the Syrp Mini can be attached
to the Syrp Genie, which provides motion control on a tripod
or slider. The Syrp can pan with a load of 17.6 pounds but
only performs a tilt if it’s holding 11 pounds—which should COMPLETE CATALOG
still accommodate most DSLR and lens combos. It can make a
360-degree rotation in as little as 31 seconds but you can set it to
1-800-295-5510
go much longer, too.
uline.com
price: $249 | + www.syrp.co.nz
To request more information see page 95

EDELKRONE POCKET RIG 2

4
This ultra-portable and collapsible DSLR rig will appeal to
photographers who want to keep weight and bulk to a minimum.
Weighing just 1.5 pounds, the Pocket Rig 2 features a fully
adjustable arm that provides a rifle-like stabilization experience.
The arm folds out from beneath the camera base and then
presses comfortably against your chest or securely on your belt.
This improves stability offered by simply free-holding the camera
several inches from your eye.
The unit offers even more versatility thanks to two collapsing

PHOTO © RODRIGO CEBALLOS

15mm rods that can accommodate the addition of a focusing rig
to maintain sharpness on the fly. The rods can be extended out to
18cm. There’s also a ¼-inch hole at the bottom so you can attach
the Pocket Rig 2 to your tripod to serve as a baseplate.
price: $290 | + www.edelkrone.com $1,500 GRAND
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TIFFEN STEADICAM CURVE

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RA NGE FIND E RONLINE .COM 93

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RF, RANGEFINDER IS A MONTHLY PUBLICATION dedicated to the ad­vance­­ment of photographers. Features encompass all phases of professional photography, including: solutions to
technical problems, business practices, handling assign­ments, equipment test reports, processing techniques and future trends.
Acceptance of advertising does not carry the endorse­ment of the publishers.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free to qualified subscribers within the U.S. For nonqualified subscribers the cost is $20.00 for 1 year, $38.00 for 2 years and $55.00 for 3 years. For Canada the cost
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None of the material appearing herein can be reprinted without the permission of RF, RANGEFINDER. Un­­­so­licited material will not be returned unless sufficient postage is provided.
Material submitted for pay must carry “Submitted At Your Usual Rates.” The publishers and editors shall not be responsible for loss or injury of any submitted manuscripts and/or art.
The ac­ceptance of advertising in RF, RANGEFINDER does not imply endorsement of the publishers. Publishers re­serve the right, without giving specific reason, to refuse advertising
if copy does not conform with editorial policy.
RF, RANGEFINDER (USPS 768-880, ISSN 0033-9202) is published monthly except bi-monthly in July/August plus a special issue in September by Emerald Expositions, 85 Broad
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POSTMASTER: Please send changes of address to RF, RANGEFINDER, PO Box 2198, Skokie, IL 60076.
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© Copyright 2015 by Emerald Expositions.
Volume 64, Number 6

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 ON M Y R A DA R

All In Order
By Kristina Feliciano, Creative Director, Stockland Martel

There’s a young photographer based in New York named Jarren Vink who’s on our radar
here at Stockland Martel because he produces still-life pieces that really stand out (as
evidenced in this image from his series “Master’s Tools,” where Vink photographs the
personal tools within a particular trade—in this case a hair stylist). They are technically
PHOTO © JARREN VINK

excellent, and display the trend of modular-placed objects, but they’re not sterile—there’s
a warmth to them. I also admire how hard he has worked to establish himself. He is the
opposite of entitled, and that is refreshing.

+ www.jarrenvink.com

96 R ANGE F IN D ER J UN E 2 015

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