Category Archives: Gear

Light.. action!

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Michael Willems

I shot a few shots of Kelly, the hair stylist for a shoot the other night. Here she is: Nice. So how did I light that? Here’s how. I used my 1D Mk4 camera in manual mode, equipped with a Pocketwizard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear, Light, Technique | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What went wrong?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Michael Willems

Yesterday I was shooting art, using a couple of speedlights, driven by Pocketwizards. Fine. So, what went wrong here? Answer after the break:

Posted in Gear | Tagged | 2 Comments

Batteries

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Michael Willems

A few tips about batteries: Always carry a spare for your camera (and everything else). LiIon batteries do not mind being charged without first being discharged, so charge them every time they go down – every day if you like. … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear | 4 Comments

Curtain Call

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Michael Willems

No no – no worries, I am not going anywhere. This is about the first curtain/second curtain setting you have on your flash/camera combination. First curtain sync means: the flash fires a preflash to measure the scene the shutter opens … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear, Light, Technique | Leave a comment

Canon 5D MkIII

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Michael Willems

The Canon 5D Mk 3 has been announced, and many of you are pre-ordering (just like I pre-ordered a 1Dx). Google it: the details are all over the web. Yes, nice, and I note that in particular the focus system has … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear | 3 Comments

Student asks:

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Michael Willems

A student asks: My name is Pauline – I have taken a couple of courses with you. I have the Canon 5D and we had talked about a perchase I sould make of a 50mm lens — when I  talked … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear | Leave a comment

Flash Note

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Michael Willems

When bouncing a flash, you may need more flash power than you have available. To ensure you have enough, do the follwoing: Use an ISO of at least 400. You may need higher ,especially if ceilings are high or non-reflective. … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear, Light, Picture of the day | 2 Comments

What lens should I buy!

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Michael Willems

Boy, that’s a tough question. And I get it a lot. Today, student Dave asks: [POST EDIT - CORRECTION MADE TO THE QUESTION] Michael – I have been researching lens for my D800. I currently own three FX lenses – … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear | Tagged | Leave a comment

Tilt-Shift

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Michael Willems

You may have heard of “tilt-shift-lenses”. These are lenses that.. well, tilt and shift. You can tilt the lens to the right or left (or up and down), and you can shift the entire lens up or down (or left and right). … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Why lenses cost money

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Michael Willems

Why do expensive lenses cost so much? I was asked this several times in today’s courses. It’s simple. Expensive lenses are worth it – because they: Have better quality, clearer optical glass, for better resolving power and sharpness and less … Continue reading →

Posted in Gear | 2 Comments