WHAT'S IN MY BAG? EPISODE 5

Well....This one isn't exactly in my bag, purely because it doesn't fit!

It's my workstation at home. It's where I get to see my photos in all their glory! This is where all my editing is done, when I get home from shooting. It's my computer. It's my Apple iMac.
Now not to boast but my wife and I have the 27" screen which makes photo viewing awesome. In saying that, the 21.5" monitor is fine.
This piece of hardware has such a crisp display, large hard drive and good memory - which is important for any visual arts application, especially photography.
I switched from windows to mac a few years back and have never looked back. In my opinion macs have such a better layout and user friendly controls. However that wasn't always my view. Remembering when my wife and I first switched, we initially found it hard to adjust to the different, and sometimes - opposite, layout. After a few days we were converted forever.

Like always make sure you get what is right for you. If you've been looking at mac's, check to see if TopBuy's price helps you out here.

Any questions? Let me know.
Catchya
Josh :)

WHAT'S IN MY BAG? EPISODE 4

Now that I have my camera body, lens and memory card, I can go out shooting. But one of the other things photographers need (in addition to the above) is a good tripod. Not because we are lazy but because the human body moves. Even when you try to be still, you still move. "Camera shake" is one of the most common reasons for blurry photographs. So before you blame your camera, maybe you should invest in a tripod?
But which tripod should you invest in? Well.. everybody is different. Not what you want to hear, right? It's OK there are a couple of rules of thumb to go by -

• Firstly, make sure your tripod head (the part that your camera sits on) is able to support your cameras weight.
• Secondly, and it might sound silly but, sometimes a heavier tripod is better than a lighter one. Especially when the wind picks up. Your tripod is next to useless if it can't stand up.
• Finally - how easy is it to set-up? Sometimes you will need to set up in a hurry, when the sun is setting or water is flowing and if you can't set-up, you'll miss the shot.

Currently I shoot with a Manfrotto 190xdb 804rc2 tripod kit (pictured left). Whilst it has served me extremely well over the years. It can sometimes be a bit slow to set up which is mainly due to the twist knobs which extends the leg intervals. Some of the other Manfrotto models feature quick release clips, as opposed to the knobs. Much easier! The head can also be a little tricky to level in a hurry, considering you need to level the 3 axis independent of each other. My next purchase will be a "ball head" (eg below). This gives you the ability to set-up and tighten much quicker than the former.

Whilst I cannot specifically recommend a model to get which includes all my wants as I have only experienced 1 tripod and 1 head. I can recommend Manfrotto as a brand, after having mine for a number of years. And believe when I tell you - I have given mine a thorough workout. It even spends a lot of time in my car boot, on the way to shoots, getting thrown around and it is in awesome shape.
Check out some of the Manfrotto tripods and find the one that suits you.
Questions? Let me know.
Catchya
Josh :)

WHAT'S IN MY BAG? - EPISODE 3

Now we have discussed my body and lens in previous posts. We now move onto the memory cards I use.
Possibly one of, if not, the most important piece of equipment a photographer has - it records the images you take. So I guess you'd want it to be reliable.
Ever since I started shooting I have used Sandisk memory cards. In particular a 16GB version, which holds roughly 550 images (when shooting with my Canon 5D mark 2). You can get larger capacity cards if 16GB isn't bigger enough. Sometimes this may be the case if you plan on shooting in locations where you are unlikely to be able to upload your images at regular intervals.
Another thing to keep in mind is the speed of the card ie how quickly the memory card records the photograph info, the camera has sent it. This is important is you plan on doing timelapse or long exposure photography, where you card is continually being written. In situations like this I would recommend purchasing a card from the Sandisk Extreme Pro range. These cards write at up to 90mb/s, giving you ample time for writing between shots. Because there is nothing worse than you camera telling you it is "busy".
With that said, if you are just getting into photography, I wouldn't go straight to an Extreme Pro memory card, as they can get a bit pricey, compared to the Extreme range.
Any questions let me know.
Catchya
Josh :) 

WHAT'S IN MY BAG EPISODE 2?

Part 2 in my series of what's in my bag, takes a look a my lens. Yes. That's singular. At present I only use one lens. But it's a versitile one.
To go with my Canon 5D mark 2 camera body, I don't go anywhere without my Canon 24-105mm f4.0L lens.
This is one of Canon's pro "L Series" lens. Don't worry though, you don't have to be a pro to buy one. But you could be after you do!
As you can tell from the short description - this is a a zoom lens. But don't let that fool. As a landscape photographer I like to have a reasonably wide angle lens to make sure I get as much of the scene in the frame as possible. Coupled with the full frame sensor of the camera, I can fit plenty into shot!
With the flexibility of having the zoom, this lens caters for many shooting situations. Plus it is resistant to moisture and dust, which gives you peace of mind that you can take it outdoors and it won't fail.
Living on the coastline I shoot mostly around water, sand and salt. I can tell you that during most shoots I get sprayed because I put myself in precarious positions and my lens has never missed a beat (touch wood).
I remember the first frame I took with the body/lens combo and it blew me away. I couldn't believe the 3 c's - colour, contrast and crispness. Funnily enough I was a family portrait (not a landscape) snap of my wife with her mum and sister.
If you are looking to take your photography a little more seriously, these days you can pick up a Canon 5D mark 2 with 24-105mm f4.0L combo at a bundle price and I thoroughly recommend you do.
If you have any question don't hesitate to ask.

Catchya
Josh :)