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Aaron's Photoblog


Self Portait Behind the ScenesJanuary 6
Here is a self-portrait I took for the 2009 January Photo Challenge:

January Challenge 2009 - 3

Other than the fact that I included five of the recent challenge themes in one photo, there is nothing terribly remarkable about the image.  What is remarkable is the ghetto lighting set up I used to put it together.  Here are some shots of the set up.


Wide angle view:

Lighting Set Up Wide

Here is a detail of the strobe to the left of the chair:

Ghetto Soft Box

Yes, that is a combination tripod, Cactus v2 receiver, cheap-o flash, Gorillapod, plastic coat hanger, and a white pillow case.  What you can't see is the Kleenex rubber-banded to the flash to help soften the light further. 


















An Unfortunate EventJanuary 2
JPG Magazine is closing its doors on January 5, 2009.  They are a victim of the current econcomy and just can't get the cash to keep things going. This really too bad. 

In case you are unfamiliar with JPG Magazine, it is a publication composed entirely of user created photography.  It's like Flickr, but in print and I think the quality of work tends to be a little higher.  I'm personally disappointed because I had made it a goal for 2009 to have some piece of work published in the magazine, whether it be a photo or an article.  That goal will be crossed off and I'll have to find a new one now. 

You can still download all the back issues in PDF format here: Archives

You might also want to pull together your contacts from JPG and see if they are elsewhere for you to keep in touch.  I just finished going through my contacts and adding them as Flickr contacts and bookmarking web sites. 











Thinking About the People Side of PhotographyDecember 17 2008
Scott Bourne over at TWIP had a post this morning that made me think.  Scott was discussing the art side of photography, the human side.  While we all love obsessing over new gadgets, gear, and technology, I think we are all primarily motivated by the emotional response we get from photography.  Here is my reply to Scott's post.

I've always looked at photography as a chance to share how the world looks through my eyes.  For better or worse, I seem to have a non-standard perspective.  I see things that other people don't.  No, I don't see dead people, but I notice little details, light falling in an interesting way, and relationships between things that don't immediately seem related. When ever I point out one of these observations, people wonder how I came up with the connection.  Undiagnosed ADD could have something to do with it. However, regardless of my current mental health, my photography helps me show the world how I see.

That's why I love looking at photographs from others.  It gives me insight into what's important to them and from which perspective they observe their surroundings.  The more I get into photography the more I realize that it's about people and relationships.  Whether the relationship is between the photographer and a model, the photographer and a mo



Off Camera LightingDecember 13 2008
The siren song of off camera lighting is calling me.  I already have a cheap flash and a Catus v2, but I would like to be able to play with at least two off camera flashes.  I just read over on Strobist that RadioPopper came out with some new technology.  The product that caught my eye is the  JrX receiver and transmitter.  I think this combined with some Vivtar 285 HV Flashes are what I need to get started. 

If I read this article correctly, I can get by with 2 Vivitars, a  JrXTransmitter, JrX Receiver, and Wein Peanut Micro Slave and I should be all set.  Maybe throw in a couple of light stands.  The whole shootin' match should run me around $300, which is about the same price as a single Canon 580 EX.



Camera Selection DilemmaDecember 10 2008
I've been shooting with a Rebel XT since it first came on the market. Last year I was ready for a major upgrade to my system and decided to invest in good glass instead of a new body. I bought the Canon 24-105 f/4L and will never be able to buy anything other than L glass ever again.

Now I want to upgrade my camera body. The Canon 50D is very appealing, but the 5D Mk I is a serious contender also even though it is at the extreme edge of my budget. I'll have to spend a lot of political capital with my family CFO to make that purchase.

Reviews I've read on the 50D are all over the board. The review at DPReview says it's Highly Recommended, but barely because the image quality is not that much better than the 40D. However, the feature set on the 50D is awesome:
  • 15.1 MP
  • Digic4 processor
  • 3 inch screen
  • LiveView mode
  • Integrated sensor cleaning
  • Burst up to 16 RAW images @ 6.5 to 3 fps
  • High