Who needs a Play Station ?

I've been experimenting of late with my GoPro Motorsport Videos which were shot at the Three Sisters Race Course which I have attended with, with DRB Rally Sport.

I just wanted to give my GoPro videos an "Arcade" feel to them, almost as if to give you the impression that your playing on a Playstation or an X-box or something like that .  As a matter of fact it is that classic game
SEGA Rally that I have based the above GoPro Motorsport video on.

One of the biggest problems that I face as a videographer is that fact that when I edit my videos in Sony Vegas then I am doing so on a 32" High Definition T.V. Screen.  And then when I upload the video to the internet i.e. YouTube then the "colours" of my videos can / may appear flat / bland or even over saturated at times.  Yes, this is due to a number of factors such as

• I've converted my video file to a less quality video file such as "WMV".
• Standard Definition and High Definition screens sees color in a different forms of light.
• Screens may not be fully calibrated which sees "colors" being scattered all over the place.
• Then there is different color profiles

But none the less it is pretty frustrating when you are trying to simply "guess" the correct colors in editing in order to suit all the people that may be watching your videos via different monitors. i.e. Standard Definition Monitors, Hi-Def Monitors, Uncalibrated Monitors, Iphones etc... etc...  again it's frustrating as it's not all the time that one can get that balance just right.  But one still does have to try and "Boost" the colours with in their videos in order to make their videos look better than other GoPro shooters.  Now on this occasion I've had to use "YouTubes" internal editing system and do an "Auto-Fix" in order to bring the above video back to life, due to the fact that when it was uploaded then the colors were way off when compared to the colors it is that I had on my 32 High Def Monitor.

Any way to close this blog with guys, I think that I'm becoming pretty addicted to making these Arcade Style GoPro Videos.  I just can't wait for the day now that I will be making even more GoPro Videos with more than just one GoPro Camera.

See you all later

Strober

Another day of just shooting stills...... :)

In my previous blog I talked about how important it is for me to shoot only stills at times.  This is because shooting stills to me is the main teacher behind becoming a better camera operator (well that is my theory anyway).

The problem with shooting stills for any photographer whilst they are on assignment , is then that they may have to think more creatively outside of the box whilst at the same time they may have to learn new skills or carry out pretty wild experiments all at the same time.  

Well that is exactly what I have done with regards to my current assignment.  Let me explain on the 03/03/2012, I once again tagged along with Daz from www.drbrallysport.co.uk and attended another rally event.  The problem is folks is that to Daz and his mates then being a photographer does not really mean anything to them, I mean to them then everyone is a photographer, even them, as all they have to do is press the button on their i-phone and hey presto just like you they are a photographer too.

 So on this assignment I thought to my-self right you are going to have to think outside the box on this one mate.  So I decided that I should A)  Learn the skill of panning,  B)  Tell the story of the day,  C)  Work with with one speedlite or two.  I set my cam to 60th of second, installed my DSLR onto a monopod and off I went to learn the art of panning. 

After about an hour shooting panning (wise) then I quickly did learn that panning is not just only hard but it is also a pretty boring part of photography that I my-self in the future will not be shooting to much of.  So off I went to become a little bit more artistic with my shots, there is one shot that I got and I have to say it is one of my fav, a bored young lad was wasting time in the service area simply by sitting on some tyres.  Before he had noticed I had sized the moment of opportunity and made the shot and had captured exactly what has got to be my fav images from this assignment.

Look guys I don't want to bore you all to much so sign of this blog with, then enjoy the images.

Gaz aka Strober

Shooting Stills For A Change.........

So for many, many months now I have been spending allot of time shooting videos and not much time shooting stills.  So I decided to put a casting on the local websites, you know purestorm, net-model, star now, model mayhem etc... 

Now one of the Models that did get in contact with me was Michael from Star Now.  We bounced e-mails back and forth with one another and did in the end decide that the best theme for our photo shoot together would indeed be a James Bond style photo-shoot.

 

Not many people know this but it is very important for me to continue to shoot stills, as when it comes to operating cameras then it is the shooting of stills that keeps me on top of my game, it is shooting stills that keeps my camera skills sharp and teaches me more and more about the main ingredient that cameras do require i.e. "light".  Shooting flash is perhaps the most hardest form of light as the photographer really does need to "control" this kind of light or else the "flash" will just bounce all over the place.  Well it will in a studio environment anyway.

To close with, I really enjoyed having a break from shooting video in addition to working with such a creative model such as Michael.

Regards

Gaz aka Strober

First Episode Of The Rally Lowndown Now Online

Well it's finally here people...  the first episode of  The Rally Lowdown featuring DRB Rally Sport is now online.

It's been hard and it's even been stressful at times but again the first episode of The Rally Lowdown is now online.  I would just like to say a big thank you to every one out there that has in some way made a contribution to this media project in order to make it a happen.  Hope you all enjoy it just as much as I have enjoyed making it.

Gaz aka Strober

Field Test Of The Kamkorda KTR1: Remote Control Tripod

-->

I recently invested in a brand new Video Tripod and it was on the 19th January 2013 that I decided to test this brand new bit of kit of mine out.

The conditions I was testing this kit out in were ideal.  Let me explain this, my tripod has a lanc remote commander built into its handle, thus making this kit part of the "Electronics" family.  And as the conditions outside on this day was very extreme i.e. Cold, Snow, Icy, Windy etc...  Then I wanted to see if the "Electronics" in my new remote control tripod was up to working within these kinds of conditions?  

From my past experience, then I know that some of my other equipment can handle these kind of extreme conditions, it's just the "batteries" that I have found that have a very hard time with regards to trying to power the cameras, remote controls etc...  I have noticed on a few occasions that the batteries have refused to power anything, but I have also noticed that after I have warmed the batteries up, then hey presto the batteries power my equipment again.

However, I'm touching wood as I write this, but I've not yet had the unfortunate look to have any of my "tapes" freeze up on me.  I've read here on the internet of guys who have had their tapes just freeze up on them, which in turn makes the tape brittle and smash into millions of bits.  Not only that but I've also read about other lads having water freeze inside their cameras, thus causing permanent damage to their camera equipment.  So how did the water get in their cameras in the first place?   Answer:  CONDENSATION!!!!!!

But moving on then, what about my new KamKorda KTR1 Tripod then... how did that perform on the day?  The answer is that my new KamKorda KTR1 Tripod handled the extreme conditions better than what I expected it would do.  As a matter of fact I enjoyed working with this Tripod so much, that I thought that I was operating a brand new camcorder altogether, instead of my beloved Sony A1E. 

 The KamKorda KTR1 combined with my Sony A1E Camcorder just gave me so much more control over the capure of my images. Even though I was wearing big thick thermal insulated gloves at the same time too, but this did not stop me from having 100% full control over the operation of my camcorder thanks to the much welcomed oversized remote commander that is built into the KR1's Tripod Handle.  

Yes, the KTR1 is light, but at the same time it still stands up pretty well to the wind.  However I did have at one point an easterly blown gale which threatened to blow over both the KTR1 and my Sony A1E, but with a simple placement of my index finger on the KTR1 Tripod then this prevented the wind from getting what it so much desired.  The KTR1 extends to a very high height of 165 cm to be exact, but this is a height that I my-self don't think that I will ever be working at, but if I do work at this height with the KTR1 then I'm pretty sure that I'm going to have to use ladders at the same time, as I'm far to small to look down the EVF (Electronic View Finder) when the KTR1 is at it's max height of 165 cm.

So to finish with would I recommend the KamKorda KTR1 to any one?  The Answer:  Yes, It’s a great video tripod for any videographer to work with.

My Passion For Photography Has Been Revived

Wow!!
 
I see that it has been over 6 months now since I last did an update to this blog of mine....  So what has changed then / happened it the last six months then ? 

Well lets see, to start with then I did manage to break my Nikon D90 via working with it in heavy torrential rain as a journalist.  Which did then see Nikon point out to me when I contacted them, that it is not a manufatures fault but instead it is an "Operators" fault not only that but Nikon also pointed out to me that the do not advise any Photographers to take any Nikon branded products near any water / liquids whatsoever.   Also I just have to add that my Nikon SB900 also has developed a fault too as it's "CLS Flash's" are not working and it's no surprise that it was the SB900 speelight that I was using that day with my Nikon D90 when I broke the D90.  But it's not all doom and gloom people cause I still have my trusty old Nikon D40, yes it may be a 6 mega pixel camera but O'boy that DSLR sure knows how to help the photographer create an image even if they are limited to their creativity by it.

So what else has changed then with me in the last 6 months ?   Perhaps the biggest change that has happened to me in the last 6 months and perhaps is the main reason why I don't Blog as much here on Blogger is that I have developed a strong passion for making Videos now, so I'm always Vlogging on YouTube instead of Blogging here on Blogger.  Don't get me wrong my passion for Photography is still there, but I just find that with Photography that it's just so frustrating for me to know that I'm an "Off Camera Flash Photographer" (NB:  hence my alias Strober) in addition to being a "People Photographer"... but the main point is, is that Models / People don't want to get up off their butts in order to help me make mind blowing "creative lighting images"....  I think it's that would "work" that the don't like doing here and instead they would just rather "walk around pretending that they are that next upcoming Model", instead of "living the dream, and being that Model in real life...

Any way as I say my passion for Photography is still there, but I know when I have to move on.....  So it's Videography that is filling this gap here.... Why Videography you may ask?  Well my answer is if people just don't want to do anything other than  just sit on there butts all day and do nothing other than watch Television then I might as well go out and do something more productive and creative whilst releating / aiming it at the television / social media industry.

Not only that but Videography is offering me new challenges that Photography has not been offering me of late... for example in Videography you kinda get to work the same way as a photographer but this time you also have to concentrate on getting your "sound / audio" correct too, which is for sure not easy.  In photography the first thing you learn is

1)  ISO
2) Aperture
3)  Shutter Speed

Well in in the video game it works like this

1)  Gain
2)  Exposure
3) Shutter Speed

You see... Videography is offering these new challenges that again Photography at the minute is just not offering me.  Not only that but i'm finding that with my stuff, that people are more interested in watching my videos than my looking at my photographs.  Well if you think about it every body watches T.V. don't they ?   Now I opened my YouTube account on the 22nd July 2011 and since that time I have had 59,406 hits on my videos.  Yes, people it may not be a massive amount of hits compared to other YouTube account holders, but I do feel that, this is a humble little success for me.

So what else has happened then ?   Well I've recently meet a Rally Team called DRB Rally Sport and I am currently working on a media project with them.    I've been playing around with "Action Cameras" in their Rally Cars whilst at the same time shooting external shots with my Sony A1E Camcorder.  It was only the other day that I went around to talk to these guys about where it is that we are at with regards to our project ?   I had my trusty 6 mega pixel Nikon D40 with me with a Prime lens of F1.8 and I just decided to shoot a few stills of the lads as they worked on their cars around the work shop.  And that was when it hit me people, my love / passion for the "Art" of Photography hit me like a thug hitting me around the face with a baseball bat.....  The work shop was filled with both Florescent and Tungsten Lighting, now everyone knows under them circumstances then flash is just not needed.  That is if you happen to have a Nikon D40 with a F1.8 lens. 

Below is an example of some of the shots that it is that I was getting....

Moving on I caught up with the boys with regards to the video side of things, then it was suggested that we could do some Photography shots too.....  I agreed, that night and I went home and packed my kit for the very next mornings photo shoot and video shoot.  But just for the purpose of this blog then the photography kit that I did pack was

1)  1 x Pixel Bishop TX with / 4 x Pixel Bishop RX:  Radio Triggers
2)  4 x SB600 Speedlites
3)  3 x Light Stands
4)  1 X Nikon D40
5)  1 x Tactical Vest (NB:  Has magazine pouch's which SB600's fit into very well :)

When I meet the guys, first thing that morning, they then asked where should the location be for the the photographs ?  I proposed a place to them that I do know which I have wanted to do an "off camera flash" shoot at for ages... as a matter of fact people if the truth be known then I have had "dreams" about this location with regards to making images there.    The lads just said "Let's Go", .......  within about 20 mins we arrived on location and I put on my tactical vest on and started to set up the light stands, and went to work with putting all the radio triggers and speedlites into their correct places.  Now to finish this blog with people... Below is the finished photographs from that mornings shoot.

I enjoyed that shoot just as much as I've enjoyed writing this blog after my six months of absence from it.
Happy Shooting People and Merry Christmas if I don't see you all before it.

Gaz aka Strober

PS:  The very last photograph is of a "Proud Photographer" standing in one of his "own images"

Pixel King I-TTL For Nikon

It's finally here.... it's the new Pixel King (Nikon Version) which is finally here.

I've had my set for a few weeks now and indeed I am very impressed with this little Radio Trigger.  It boosts an astonishing 8000th a second sync speed.  And so far I've tested it at 4000th a second on my Nikon D90 (NB:  Which is my D90's fastest Shutter Speed) and it's just perfection, time after time again.  Not only that but I really wished that I had the money in the first place to buy that DSLR that shoots at 8000th of a second any way.

Right moving on then, there is a little bit of bad news for us Nikon shooters with regards to the new Pixel King (Nikon Version).  This is to say that we thought that we would be able to control the behaviour of our speedlites with the Pixel King (Nikon Version) just as if we were working with the Nikon Creative Lighting System.  Now it most be noted that this is just NOT the case and instead we are actually limited as to what it is that we can control wirelessly with the Pixel King (Nikon Version).

 Here is a working example of what it is that I mean, let us say that I am shooting on I-TTL and I want to switch my speedlite over to a "Manual" setting..... well in this working example I can NOT change this setting on the speedlite via my DSLR or Pixel King wirelessly.  As once again we Nikon shooters are limited as to what it is that we can control with our speedlites wirelessly.

On the other hand though if your a Canon shooter, then guess what your luck is in here lads, this is because you guys can in fact do the above working example with your speedlites no problem.  What I have learnt recently is that Canon shooters have an extra setting in their menus that allow them to wirelessly control the behaviour of their external speedlite / flash systems which is a feature that Pixel has taken advantage of. But once again for us Nikon Shooters then we have lost out on this one.

But hey.... don't let that put you off... because again look at what it is that we have got, we have an I-TTL Trigger, with a max sync speed of 8000th of a second (WOW!!).  It has an effective operational range of 100 meters (more than enough) and allows us to control our Nikon Cameras wirelessly with our speedlites via three ways.  These three ways are.....

1)  ISO        
2)  Apeture
3)  Expousure Value

Not only that but the Pixel King Nikon Version only costs us £110 "ish" which is in my opinion offering us great savings for an I-TTL Raido Trigger when we compare it to the price of it's competitors (Cough, Cough, LPA Designs Pocket Wizards, Cough, Cough).

Of course the Pixel King is the big brother of the Pixel Bishop.  And indeed both the King and the Bishop do share the same body. However, it has to be noted that Pixel has been busy adding some extra cosmetic improvements onto the body of the King over it's little brother the Bishop.  The Kings Transmitter now boosts an Auto Focus Illumination Light.  In addition to that, the King also now has "cut outs" on it's lock rings which allows us to insert "coins" into them in order to help assist us with the removing of the units if we happen to of screwed them on to tight in the first place (NB:  Well done Pixel great feature you have added there).  And lastly Pixel has also installed some locking "Pins" onto the foots of the Transmitters and the Receivers in order to add that little bit of additional security to the unit once it is connected to such sources such as your camera or speedlites foot mount.  etc... etc...

For more infomation on the Pixel King then head on over to http://www.ukhighland.co.uk or alternatively watch my video below.

Regards

Strober

PS:  I've also included some example images in this blog which I have taken with the my Kings and 1 Nikon D90 and 1 SB600 (Pics Just Below My Video).