I did this for two reasons. The first was because I was shooting a lot of action photography at the time and wanted to get closer to the subject, but many times fences, security guards or guard rails kept me from getting closer to the action, so I went for the 100-400 to help me get those tight shots.

I have since moved away from being a sport and action shooter, to more of a studio and portrait photographer and the necessity for the 100-400 has gone away. So far away, that it is no longer in my everyday camera bag and only comes out when I got out for the sporadic action shoot, and it may soon find its way on the used lens market.

The second reason that I didn’t buy the Canon 70-200 is because I really didn’t understand and appreciate lens optics at that time. While many photographers use the lens as a middle ground piece of glass that fits between their wide angle lenses and their super telephoto lenses, many more know the true power of a 70-200, its amazing qualities as a portrait lens.

2011 had been, for me, a year of the prime lens. I have pretty much left the zoom lenses in the bag, unless I was shooting derby or event photography. As mentioned in my previous post about the Canon 85mm f/1.2, I feel that prime lenses are something that all beginning photographers should explore. The movement that the primes force you to make, with zooming with your feet, there by showing you more angles and perspective that a zoom may not show you, because your feet are planted while you work that zoom ring like a mad person.

But Canon’s 70-200 is legendary for being one of the best lenses made for sharpness and quality. Traits that were improved with the second series release of the lens at the bokeh making aperture of f/2.8. I had used the first series 70-200 f/2.8 at one derby bout, and really loved the results, but never really used it for portrait work.

So when my last bout and the wedding of the year were falling on the same weekend, I decided to rent the lens from the fine people at LensProToGo, as well as a 50mm f/1.2, but more on that in another post.

I knew I wanted to buy the lens, but it was out of stock at BestBuy, so I rented it, to give it one final test drive, to confirm the need for purchase.

Before either event, I got in a quick portrait session with my good friend, and fellow shooter, Kelsi Vogel. While I knew the results would be great, I really was not prepared for what that would mean. The images were tack sharp, autofocus was much more accurate than many other lenses I had used, and the compression at 150-200mm was amazing. Shortly after that shoot, the lens was in stock and I bought it without looking back.

I just love the sharpness of the 70-200

(Since I originally started writing this post in October of 2011, I have used the lens extensively for portrait work, and hardly ever reach into the bag for any of my other lens. The only time I grab another lens is when I just don’t have the room to move for the 70-200.)

Now at over $2000, this is not an impulse buy to see if this is something you grow to like. This is an investment, a serious one. I want that to sink in, so you understand how good this lens is, because when I looked at the results, I didn’t hesitate when I hit the buy button on the computer screen.

It is that good.

The images were as good, if not better than my 85mm f/1.8 and my 100mm f/2.8 Macro, my two portrait lenses of choice over the past year. Add in the fact that I now have the range of 101-200mm of lens zoom, for great image compression and fantastic shallow depth of field, and you have a total winner.

f/4.5 @ 70mm (left image) and f/4.5 @ 200mm (right image)

The lens continued to shine when shooting roller derby, giving more consistent shots that were in focus while I held down the shutter button and sprayed and prayed in continues shooting mode. It was also as well suited at the wedding, allowing me to get close to the action of the ceremony, without getting in the way of the wedding party.

And since it has such a low maximum aperture, I can always use an lens extender to get back to the 300-400mm range if I ever need to.

I usually have buyer’s remorse when I buy any gear. Hell, have buyer’s remorse when I buy a game for my Xbox. But even with the high cost of this lens, I haven’t lost a wink of sleep. The only regret I have is that I didn’t pony up the cash when this lens first came out.

Model and friend, Travis Stewart, but the ladies call him Steve.

Now, I know what you are thinking, “There is no way in Dante’s inferno that I am going to pay that much for a lens”. My response is simple, rent the lens for a week, and shoot every possible scenario you can think of, but prepare yourself for not wanting to send this lens back.

If the price is still too hight, you may want to look into a less expensive alternative. Canon, unlike Nikon, manufactures several lenses in the 70-200 range. Two with f/4.0 apertures, one with image stabilization, and one without. They also make two in the f/2.8 apertures, again, one with IS, one without. Nikon’s 70-200 is fantastic as well, but they do not have any lower cost alternatives at this time.

I do want to point out that while all of these lenses from Canon get great reviews, the f/2.8 IS verson 2, is the king of the crop. The IS on the lens is fantastic, allowing for very slow shutter speeds, while zooming in at 200mm.

The downsides to this lens? Other than the price, there is the weight issue. This is a heavy piece of glass, and while you can hold it by hand, you are going to get a serious workout. Combine that with my 7D with the option vertical grip, and I don’t need to go to the gym to work out my right arm.

But the biggest downside to this lens curse of the zoom itself. I found myself at a shoot last week never really moving around at times, because I can just plant my feet and zoom in and out on the subject, making new compositions, without moving around the subject. I had to make myself conscious of this problem, and make sure I moved my feet. This is not good, and I can see myself missing a new angle or perspective because the lens makes me lazy.

While there is a risk of taking it easy and not moving around the subject with the lens, I just can’t stress how versatile the 70-200 is, and how great the images look. I used to think that the must have zoom lens of high value in a camera bag needed to be the 24-70, but I think the 70-200 is far more functional for both action, wedding and portrait photographers. If you are a photographer that is looking for a lens that you are going to get the most out of, this is defiantly it, by far. Of course there are downsides to the lens, cost, weight, laziness, but they all go away once you start to see the images come out of your camera.

Travis showing you how much he loves the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II

The bride? Non other than derby girl Buck Nasty, aka Sarah Buck, of the Battle Born Derby Demons. Sarah approached me several months ago, asking me to bid on their wedding. As she started to give me details about the wedding, she then told me that her soon to be husband, Adam, was also a professional wrestler.

Somewhere Jasmine Star and other instructors at WPII are either jealous or fearing for my well being.

The happy couple.

Part of the wedding package I quoted Sarah included an engagement session. Sarah was not really into the idea of a traditional idea engagement shoot, she wanted something a bit more to the speed and taste of her and Adam. We agreed that they should have some traditional shots, but she and Adam really wanted something different.

Around the same time, I found a piece of art for a wedding invitation, created by a graphic designer for his wedding invitation. The art depicted he and his bride, fighting off zombies at their wedding. I thought it was a very cool and posted it on Facebook.

Sarah and Adam saw this, and just loved the idea for their invitation. We would shoot the “normal” engagement shots in the morning, while their wedding party would go through makeup and be turned into zombies.

The wedding party.

You just read that right, the wedding party would be turned into the living dead, and our happy couple would fight them off with the passion and love for each other, and with a little help from pistols, shotguns, and of course, axes.

And the zombie kill of the day goes to the happy couple.

My job was simple, find a creepy house, setup the lights, and let the magic happen. It took no time for everyone to get into character and soon our heroes were fighting off the dead.

True love conquers all!

Now, a few months later, we are a just days away from the wedding, which I am told will be treated with a much more traditional feel. I am excited to capture the day for Sarah and Adam, so they can remember it and share it with their family. It will be a fantastic day.

But I am not going to lie, part of me hopes the best man drops an elbow from the top rope at the reception.

Here is to true love. In and out of the rink or ring.

For the last 5 years, I have had the honor of being BBDD’s official team photographer, but as the years have passed, my photography business and teaching schedule have become too much for me to continue to give the job the attention that it deserves, and I have decided that this season’s final bout will be my last.

But it is also time for me to step aside and let another photographer have the amazing opportunity that I have enjoyed for so many years. As mentioned in a previous post, when returning from a weeklong course with Joe McNally, I knew I had to find a subject that would push and challenge me, and I found that in roller derby. Every bout, and every promotional shoot, challenged me and taught me more than any course or web video could about being a photographer. It was just what I needed to grow and learn as a photographer, even as a person.

While I haven’t learned it all, it is time to explore new opportunities. But I am excited about the future with my business and my personal work projects. Yet, I am sad to be leaving the BBDD. This has not been an easy decision, and I am sure I will begin to regret it when the next season starts.

This doesn’t mean I am totally done with BBDD or roller derby; there are still personal projects I am working on with the team as well as exploring a book of my photography over the past 5 years with the team.

Even with those projects, I can already sense an emptiness brewing. I will miss the ladies of BBDD, their family and friends, as well as the fans. I have seen and met so many amazing women whose athletic talents are equal to any athlete, in any sport. I have watched many of them retire due to injuries they obtain during the course of the season, while the entire time playing with out getting paid. Many of the players that I started photographing during the first season are no longer on the team due to these injuries. Others have left the team to start the next great chapter of their life, the role of being mothers. All of those experiences have touched me so much more than even my photos can express.

It will be hard on Saturday, watching the clock run down, knowing that my time will be up, and the final frame will soon be shot.

But before all of that happens, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the BBDD, all the players, past and present, for the amazing opportunity to be their photographer. I will miss being a part of the team and capturing those fantastic displays of athletic skill. But I will also miss the great stories and eclectic personalities that make derby such an amazing sport.

If you happen to be in the area, please come down, watch the final bout of the season and say hello. If you can’t make it, please check to see if there is derby in your area and check out roller derby for yourself.

And again, thank you so much to the team and the players for an amazing 5 years. I am forever grateful and will always be in total awe of the talent and passion that I have seen in photographing you. You are all are truly amazing.

Probably my favorite single image I shot for BBDD over the last 5 years.

For the past few weeks, and most certainly for the next few days, we will see almost all of that footage played over and over again. We will hear and see the stories of all of those involved. From the striking of the towers, to the heroes who ran into the burning towers, to those that were lost when they fell, their legacy and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Many photographers not only documented the attack, but also the rescue that followed in the days, weeks and months. The great Jay Maisel took his camera and photographed the faces of the citizens of New York City, as they watched the rescue attempts at ground zero, his gallery and now release book shows the emotion of those closest to the attack.

In the years since the attacks many monuments have been constructed to honor those lost in the attacks. Drew Gurian, Joe McNally’s assistant, showed me the work of Jessica Jamroz, who has worked on a monument in New Jersey, for the citizens of the state that were lost during the attack on 9/11. Her work on the design of the monument is amazing, as are so many others around the nation.

For me, one of the best tributes to the attacks on the towers is Joe McNally’s “Faces of Ground Zero”. Like so many, Joe wanted to do something, needed to do something, and just so happen to be working in a studio, just blocks from Ground Zero, with the largest Polaroid camera.

Over the next five weeks, he took photos of officials, rescue workers, and family members of those lost in the tragedy. The photos turned into a book, which has turned into many showings of the images to the public.

10 years later, Joe has brought us back to those same faces with updated photos and video. This isn’t something that he started this year, but something that he has been doing since that day 10 years ago. Joe has kept in touch with those people and stayed in their lives, keeping us updated on how they continue to live in the wake of everything they went through. They can ask for no better voice than Joe McNally. His words and tenor when he speaks about the that day is truly amazing and to hear him tell their stories in person in a life changing experience.

As a student of history, I am drawn to the personal stories of those who are involved in world changing events. The detail of how individuals have dealt with those events and tragedies is the can be the most reveling. Facts are always necessary in history, historians try to always search for those facts in search of accuracy, but it the stories of those people involved, that is where the truth can be found, that is where we see the human side of any event.

I have no idea if Joe intended to be the caretaker of those people featured in “Faces from Ground Zero”. But in taking those photos, and talking with those people, he has taken their stories and brought them to a light that we will be able to return to for so many years to come. There is no politics or ideology in their images or words, just their story. And in the years that have past, Joe has continued to hear and document their story, through photo, and now video. How these individuals continue to live their lives, either with the tragedy that directly involved them, or the loss of a family or friend, is really the story that must be told.

At Photoshop World, I again had the privilege to hear Joe speak about this ongoing project. He shared the updated photos, as well as the stories. As each photo passed on the screen, the emotion in the audience was palpable. You could hear the tears being held back from many, and once Joe was done speaking, the standard applause given to every photographer presenting, turned into a standing ovation. Every single person in the audience knew exactly what they had heard and seen, touch by the photos and memories of one of the darkest days in American history.

If you have never seen the “Faces of Ground Zero” or haven’t seen the updated images and videos from Joe McNally, you can find them here. You can also donate money to help continue a legacy that will live on, long after we are gone.

To those lost on that terrible, you are not forgotten.

To those that lost family and friends, we will never forget.

Great men and women, like Joe McNally, will never let that happen.

The reason I choose one light or another sometimes comes down to basic issues, portability and the modifiers I can use with the different lights.

If I know I am going to have to hike a mile in the forest, I take my Speedlites, regardless of how I want the light to look, because I am not going to carry more gear that can fit into two small shoulder bags. I will use the light modifiers that I can fit on my Speedlites, but there is usually a compromise that I have to make when using the smaller lights. The modifiers that are available for Speedlites are usually not as good as the modifiers available for larger studio heads or monoblocs.

If I want a big, beautiful light source, I fire up the White Lightnings, because all of my large modifiers work with those lights, and I can’t really use my small Speedlites to fill a super large umbrella or beauty dish like I can with my White Lightning monoblocs, plus attaching some of my large modifiers to the small Speedlites is either not possible or practical.

If you have already reach this conclusion, let me put it out there; this is not the way to light. While I am not unhappy with the light I create, I am bothered by the fact that I have to sometimes settle or work around issues of size versus modifiers.

Beauty by Chloe, light by the Apollo Softbox and Triflash.

I have known for sometime there is a middle ground. A land where people can have their cake and eat it too. I have seen Joe McNally use items like the Lastolite TriFlash, which holds three hot shoe flashes. And I have seen, and read about, the 4-Square from both David Black and Syl Arena, which can hold 4 and even 8 Speedlites with the right modifications. Both items hold multiple Speedlites, while allowing a modifier to be connected using the umbrella adaptor on either item. The multiple Speedlites allows for more power and quicker recycle time, as well as having enough power to be used with big modifiers.

There are also great light modifiers from Westcott and Lastolite that produces great looking light from my Speedlites, without all the weight and size of the my studio strobes.

So I saved some pennies and I bought my lighting combination of peanut butter and chocolate. I purchased the new version the Lastolite Triflash, which has a locking feature to hold the flashes in the cold shoe, and the Westcott Apollo 50-inch softbox. This combination was something I have been looking for and thinking about for the last year.

Many will ask, “Why such a large softbox.”

Well, I have two small softboxes that are about the same size of the smaller Apollo, which is 28 inches square. I have been looking for a larger softbox for the last few years and the 50-inch Apollo was in my budget range and the size was perfect for what I would be shooting with it. I also like the Apollo because it is one of the few softboxes that does not require speed rings or special gear to go from either different manufactures or small hot shoe flashes. It also allows you to place the light source so it faces the back of the box, which is silver, and then bounces the light back through the front diffusion and onto your subject, which I think makes for much softer light. While I bought it for use with my Speedlites, it can go on any light source as long as it has some sort of umbrella attachment, excluding hot lights, which the Apollo is not designed for.

The 50-inch Apollo setup.

On the smaller Apollo, you may get away with only using one Speedlite, (Syl Arena has a great article on why you might want to re-think this and use multiple lights). But with a large 50×50 softbox, I would need some more power. Enter the Lastolite Triflash, which gives me the extra power with two more Speedlites inside the softbox. Another plus to having multiple light sources is that I can point them at different sides of the softbox to spread out the light, reducing hotspots and creating a more diffused light, more on this later.

First Impressions

Let’s start with Lastolite TriFlash. This is the new locking version, which is perfect for securing my Speedlites. The first version of the Triflash always felt cheap to me. It was like the engineers at Lastolite came up with a great idea, but just tacked two additional hot shoes on the side of an umbrella stand and called it a day. This new version feels properly designed and the locking feature is an added plus to keep your Speedlites secure. And unlike many locking cold shoes, this does not use a small screw as the only locking/attachment point, but rather a clamp that secures to both sides of the shoe of the flash, which makes it much more secure and stable.

The Lastolite Triflash. This is has become one of my setups when I am using High Speed Sync.

The Apollo Softbox, on the other hand, didn’t leave me with the same warm fuzzies as the Triflash. First, this modifier costs over two hundred dollars, and came with no storage sack or Velcro straps to keep it closed when it is collapsed. I have paid a fraction for other modifiers and they come with great storage solutions. Also, there were no real instructions for setup to be found. So I went to the Wescott website which had instructions to download, but where poorly written and offered little in the way of help in setting up the unit. I do have to give some lenency to Wescott, I don’t know if the company I order from forgot to include the instructions and storage sack.

Quick Note. If you own a lighting or photo supply company and do not have great videos on setting up and using your products in this day and age, you are missing the boat.

I also have to say the finish work of the Westcott is pretty bad as well. While the unit itself setup just fine, I found little threads that handed had not been trimmed off after sewing. Not a big deal, but once again, for the money, I expect the finish work to be spot on.

Set up

The Triflash sets up with no problem and didn’t require me to double check if the shoes of the flashes were secure, I just hand to tighten and I was ready to go. You really don’t need to use the attachment features of the flashes themselves, the Triflash does that good of a job. But personally, I found it is a second way to secure the flashes, so why not lock them down as well. The clamps on the Triflash are perfect and I wish all umbrella adaptors were this well built.

Setting up the Triflash is pretty simple, just attach it to a 5/8-inch stud on a light stand and then attach you flashes to the Triflash. My only complaint is that the knob to tighten or loosen the tilt on the Triflash is pretty small and hard to turn at times. I found a solution around that by using a C-stand for my application, more on that in a moment.

The Apollo sets up pretty easily as well. The Apollo is a softbox, but opens up like an umbrella. The shaft of the Apollo is pretty thick and doesn’t feel like it can be accidentally bent. There is only one piece of diffusion, and one side of it is sewn to the softbox itself, so you don’t have to worry about loosing the diffusion on setup or teardown like many other softboxes.

The Apollo attaches to a light stand via an umbrella adaptor. At the bottom of the softbox is a zipper that you open and then drop the adaptor and stand through the hole in the softbox, then slide the shaft of the softbox through the umbrella adaptor, or in my case the Triflash.

The only problem is that because of the angle of the box to the position of the stand and the space allowed by the zipper, you can’t tilt the softbox forward. I struggled with this for some time, because I like to tip my modifiers quite a bit.

Interior shot of the Apollo. Notice the C-stand arm coming through the bottom zipper.

I finally found a solution in using a C-stand instead of a standard light stand. I attached the grip arm and a 5/8-inch stud, called a nail or pin, in the grip head. I extended and angled the grip arm into the softbox and attached the Triflash and the Apollo to the nail. Now I can tilt the Apollo forward and have many more options for positioning the box where ever I want, including flipping it upside down to get it right on the ground, for low shots.

The Apollo Softbox setup on a C-stand. Notice the grip arm extending into the softbox.

Once I had the Apollo in the Triflash and on the C-stand, I put three of my Canon Speedlites on the Triflash. One of the Speedlites was a Canon 580EX II, with an extra long TTL cable attached to it. This setup lets me control the 580 from the back of my Canon 7D, allowing me to change power settings and modes, without opening the softbox up and changing settings on the Speedlite itself. I put two other Canon Speedlites in there, both set to Slave and Group A, so they trigger in the same group as my Master. Now I have a big softbox, with three Speedlites inside, all controlled by the LCD on my camera. Which, I must say, is very, very nice.

Hands free, beautiful light, all control from the back of the camera.

Results

The Apollo produces beautiful light, as you would expect from a large soft light source. The recessed front panel makes it easy to feather the light from the Apollo on or off of your subject. I found that tilting each Speedlite’s head, to hit the sides and not the back of the Apollo, produced a more even light, with no noticeable hot spots.

On the left, the heads are pointed to the back of the softbox, which gives you a hotspot. On the right, the heads are pointed at the sides of the softbox, no hotspot.

The quality of light is very nice, beautiful in fact, but what really makes the Apollo shine is the Triflash inside. I could put my one of my White Lightning in the Apollo, but anytime I want to make a change to the power setting of the flash, I would have to open the diffusion, make the power change, then close the diffusion and go back to camera and continue to shoot. But with the Triflash and the long TTL cable, I can make those changes from the back of the camera and never have to touch the Apollo.

I also have played with removing the front diffusion panel for some shoots, to get a little more power and contrast from the Speedlites. With the panel flipped up, the silver interior creates very nice light with a little extra pop.

And before I go to much further, I do want to point out that even with the master flash pointed to the back of the Apollo and the diffusion panel down, I can still trigger other Speedlites outside the Apollo as long as they stay in the line of site.

Conclusion

I am happy to announce that I have found my combination of chocolate and peanut butter when it comes to lighting. In the few short weeks of owning the Apollo and the Triflash, I have done most of my shooting with this new combo. Not because I feel the need to get my money’s worth out of the purchase, but because I now have big studio lighting results, from a small and lightweight setup with the Apollo and Triflash.

There are some shortcomings to this system. While I think softboxes work better in windy conditions, I worry that the umbrella attachment the Apollo uses is too weak and may not hold up as well as a traditional speed ring attachment on a softbox.

I also think that while the Triflash has improved in this newest version with the clamping mechanism for the flashes, the attachment for the umbrella is a simple screw, and could benefit from a better clamping mechanism, to hold the big umbrellas, softboxes and brollies that many shooters will attach to the Triflash.

I also want to point out that the Triflash is perfect for use without the softbox, as I have used it many times with bare flashes when using the High Speed Sync mode in my Canon Speedlite system. The three lights make a much larger light source and doesn’t require me to attach several different types of clamps to a stand to hold multiple Speedlites.

Kelsey brought to you by High Speed Sync and the number f/2.8

Last is the real lack of tilt when using the Apollo. While I found a way around this with the use of C-stand, many shooters will not have a C-stand available and will have trouble tilting this softbox with out one. I am not sure there is a real easy way around this, and I think it is something you have to live with when using the Apollo. It also requires that I have to include a C-stand when planning on using this setup, which is not a lightweight stand to be caring around in the field.

All of these points are really small, and very critical about both the Apollo and the Triflash. The simple fact is I have a big beautiful light source, that is lightweight, easy to setup and tear down, works with both Manual and TTL settings with my Canon system, and with a long TTL cable, I can control all of this without having to touch the softbox once it is in place. My only real regret is that I didn’t purchase this combination sooner.

Chloe shot with bare Speedlites using High Speed Sync. The Triflash made this so simple and easy.

Once of the best parts of my day to day schedule is teaching and sharing information with people at the University of Nevada, Reno Extended Studies program. If you are looking to move forward in your job or start a new career, there is no better place to look.

Many students find they can get promotions or help their business by taking on design responsibilities, which are in increasing demand. I am taken back when looking at jobs, locally and nationally, that so many now are including Adobe programs as nice or must haves on the job requirement list. Don’t wait for your boss, or your new job to start asking for these programs, be proactive and sign up for a few classes today.

We also offer classes on using your digital camera, either point and shoot, or the more advanced DSLR class. Take it from me, learning on your own in the beginning can be overwhelming and you may not take full advantage of your camera’s features or worse, just give up.

New for 2011, Extended Studies is offering classes in Adobe Premiere Elements, a video editing program. Learn how to properly use this program, as well as good video editing skills that will apply to any program you use now or in the future. Learn how to make those videos you have been shooting, or wanting to shoot, sing and come alive.

Here is a great article on the power of video as a teaching and presentation tool and its growth on the Internet. After this, I am sure you will be asking when our next Premiere class is.

I look forward to seeing you in class and wish you the best in 2011.

A complete class schedule can be found in the side bar on the right hand side of the screen, as well as here.

I have known about Syl’s endeavor from the most beginning of stages, having assisted on a few shoots that appear in the book. Syl and I have spent many times on the phone and in person talking about light, photography, and the pros and cons of the Canon system.

This might make you think that this review is bias, because of this personal relationship. And while I wish for nothing more than Syl to be successful, and this book to be a best seller, you must also understand that we have also had serious disagreements on all sorts of topics. While there is always respect, there are also times when we just don’t see eye to eye. If anyone is going to point out shortcomings about this book, I assure you, it will be me.

I can also say, from experience, that there are very few people who have worked as hard as Syl to create a book on photography. Everything in this Handbook is pretty much from scratch and designed for the purpose of the book. We would talk on a regular basis, and I was always be taken back, even doubting, the amount of work and information that Syl was putting into this. I must admit, at times, I never thought the book would be finished because of the daunting task that Syl had undertaken. I am so happy that those doubts were proven wrong.

So like all reviews I do about products, I like to get to the conclusion before I get into the details. This one is pretty simple. If you own a Canon camera and own, or are thinking about purchasing a Canon flash, this book is an absolute must buy. Period, end of review, go buy the book.

It is that good.

But what if you are a Nikon shooter, or use Sony, Olympus or other types of hot shoe flashes? Well, so much of this information passes on to Nikon’s, and others, systems with little difficulty. In fact, most of the book is really about working with small flashes and understanding light. While it is directed towards the Canon shooter, there is so much here that applies to other systems. I wish that the word Canon were not on the front cover. Because this book is more about understanding the details of light. I am willing to wager if you are a Nikon shooter and you take the time to browse this book at your local book store, you will find yourself in the checkout line with the book in your hand, and not caring about the dreaded C word on the cover.

However, this book does set the record straight, and kills the long-standing, misconceived notion that the Canon system is inferior to the Nikon system. For many years Canon shooters have been told that their system is broken and can’t hold a candle to Nikon. This book proves something that both Syl and I have know for a long time, the playing field is much more level than people think, and now they know how good the Canon system is, if not better in some regards to Nikon.

What is to love?

Syl's work with students has directly influenced this book.

The book is broken up into four parts, understanding light, understanding Canon Speedlites and how to set them up. There is also a side by side comparison with different lighting modifiers that you can use with the Speedlites. And finally a great look at different lighting situations with one or more Speedlites, complete with diagrams and walk thrus, almost like a cook book.

On just the first pass through the book, I have picked up several pieces of information on various subjects I was either clue less about or needed a quick refresher.

I also love how the book is laid out. Big ideas are placed on the page in a way that if you are quickly scanning for something, you can find it without spending a ton of time combing page after page.

I also love the compass of light sections, where I can finally see where I need to angle and place my light to get Rembrandt or hatchet light. If you are just starting out with off camera lighting, this part of the book alone is worth the money.

There is also the much talked about battery torture test, that should be read before the next time you buy batteries for any device. So much information here to help you get more out of you rechargeable batteries and which types work best for your needs.

So what is missing?

The Speedliter’s Handbook is not full of pictures of rock stars, covers of Rolling Stone, or ad campaigns for REI. This is a handbook, a survival guide, and it has pictures that demonstrate those points. Some may say this takes away from the book. My response? Sure, you won’t find shots of Keith Richards, but the photography is spot on and demonstrates exactly what the lesson is about. There are tons of books on great photography to get inspiration and ideas. This is a book about getting those ideas to happen with the tools in your bag.

This book is also packed with information. It is like white space had done something wrong to Syl in his past, and he is getting even in this book. When he told me that there wasn’t a ton of empty space, I didn’t really give it much thought, but when I looked at the book, I was hard pressed to find a sliver of white space. Syl has filled every page with information, and I do mean every page. There are no filler chapters or unless information, each page has something for you, and that something is always important.

The only real complaint I can find about this book is that very experienced and advanced shooters may find it to be too basic, since there is so much lighting 101 type of information to be found here. But even I as write this, I really don’t believe it, because I have work with many experience photographers, with 20 plus years of experience and degrees in photography, and they are just as much in the dark as the novice shooter when it comes to Speedlites.

The Speedliter’s Handbook has become one of those must read books that I will tell all my students about, regardless of what brand of camera is in their bag. It has also, I say this with gritted teeth, raised the bar for writers and bloggers who are in the photography world. I now have to really step up my game to compete. Syl has delivered a book that fills a huge void for Canon shooters, and then went further by going deeper with the understanding of light, how it works, and how to “try” to control it. His labor will continue to inspire for some time and many new shooters will be spared pain and anguish that used to be part of learning how to use Canon Speedlites, and working with off camera flash.

Now I am going to re-read this book, I have shoots coming up.

Syl Arena - Red Headed Mad Genius

It has been a year of very tough losses for myself and my friends. Many have lost loved ones, or had set backs in their lives. Others have had great successes, or the beginnings of great things yet to come.

I have found myself with both.

At the beginning of the year, the world was shook as Haiti had one of the most violent and destructive earthquakes in modern history. So many died that day, and the days later. While at home, Claudia and I said goodbye to our beloved Siberian Husky, Dream. My heart still aches for the people of Haiti. And while I know the nation and people of Haiti will recover, I am not sure I will ever recover from the loss of Dream.

Dream, gone but not forgotten.

In October, I suffered another loss, that of my friend Dana Lee Fox. This was such a blow, because I had no idea that Dana Lee was in ill health or having issues. One day she was there, the next, gone. To lose someone so special, not only to you, but the world, well it takes you off of your feet. The world is a darker, colder place, I am sorry to report.

So many of my friends had also suffered losses or set backs. Some lost family members, or dealt with serious illnesses. While others suffered due to an economy that at times seems to be in critical condition.

I won’t kid you, there are times this year that I wanted to tap out, throw in the towel and just walk away. But then there were events or things that happened that righted my ship.

I had made a resolution at the beginning of the year to try and shoot personal work as much as possible, to shoot every Sunday that I could. While I didn’t shoot as much as I wanted to at the beginning of the year, things picked up and I really got into the swing of things by the time spring rolled around.

I got to work with fantastic models like Brittney Boyd, Abby Whitney, Rebecca Evans, Kari Midori, Travis Stewart and Kelsey Karrasch, to just name a few. I also got to work with models that I had started my personal work with a few years earlier, like Marrisa Roberson and Anna Peralez.

Kelsey and Travis

I also started working with the fine people at Salon 7, specifically Mikayla Bianchi and Jenny O, to work on crazy one day shoots that would entail several models, makeup artists, stylists and several locations to create a day long event that would leave me tired, and broken, but with hundreds of images to work with.

Rebecca from my first Salon 7 all day shoot.

And where would I be with out the fine women of the Battle Born Derby Demons. This was my fourth year as the team’s photographer, and I continue to learn so much from the team. They are amazing individuals on and off the track and you owe it to yourself to check out some roller derby in 2011.

A quick shot of some of the members of BBDD!

Derby also took me to what is easy the highlight of my year, if not my career. I got to work with and assist for Joe McNally during one of his stops on the Kelby Training Tour stops in Sacramento. While it may have been on of the harder days of work I had done in a long time, it was easily one of the best. Working with Joe is always a blast and I learn more in a day with him, than I can on my own in year. Joe decided to have me invite a few of the Demons to come with me to the shoot. I am not sure he has recovered.

2010 was also the year I really got into HDSLR video with my Canon 7D cameras, both in my freelance work and my day job at the mother ship. I can’t wait to see where this new technology goes, but I am sure I will, like many, be chasing after new toys and tricks as the year progresses.

I would also be a fool to not mention the love of my life, Claudia. Who has strapped in next to me for the wild ride of 2010. If it wasn’t for her, to lean on, pick me up, dust me off and throw me back into the fight, I have no idea where I would be right now. She is my sounding board for all projects and the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you mi vida, you are truly the best.

Like many at the start of a new year, I am excited and hopeful for what 2011 will bring, to not only myself, but to my friends and family. I hope to see more new students in my classes and look forward to working on new photo and video projects.

But most of all, I wish you and yours a healthy, prosperous and happy new year.

May the best of your past be the worse of your future.

For me, in photography terms, one of those ideas is photographing dancers.

When I attended my first photo workshop at the Santa Fe Workshops with Joe McNally, I was taken in by all of his photos. We all know his work, so I will spare the details of how great his portfolio is. But what stood out to me, possibly because of surprise and not being around it much myself, were Joe’s pictures of ballet dancers. And when he spoke about the shots, you could really hear his love for dance come through as he presented the images.

Also in class was a great shooter from Canada, David Cooper, who is an amazing photographer that specializes in dance himself. His images were breathtaking, and made me feel like the new kid in school who didn’t know where the cafeteria was.

Those images, and the men’s passion behind them, has stayed with me for years and after looking at the images, I put ballet dancers on my list of things to shoot as soon as I got back home.

My only problem? I live in Reno, Nevada.

If I wanted to photo 24 hour drinking, gambling and legalized prostitution, I am set. But we are short of ballet dancers in this town. But after some time I met Anna, who is a classically trained ballet dancer and works as a dancer in the area. Unlike many models that I have met, who have danced in the past, Anna does it for a living and has a real passion for her art.

My first few times working with Anna, we never worked in any ballet skills into our shoots. It wasn’t until my second shoot with her that I even learned she was a ballet dancer. But the icing on the cake was that Anna’s husband was a dancer as well, but not any type of dancer, a break-dancer.

Now my mind was racing.

It took much longer to get the shoot with Anna and her husband, Jose, planned and into pre-production. All three of us have different schedules and it took sometime to get everyone on board for the shoot. Because the shoot was going to happen in late November, and weather would certainly be an issue, I found an indoor location, an old building that used to be a brewery.

The concept of the shoot was simple, to show the differences in classic ballet and traditional break dancing moves, and then transition into a mixture of the two, creating something that belonged to both Anna and Jose. Since Anna and Jose are husband and wife, I wouldn’t have to worry about how close is too close when having the pose.

The wardrobe was going to be, well, very minimal, in some shots, both Anna and Jose look like they live in a gym, which gives the rest of use good reason to hate them, as we chow down on another burrito from Taco Bell.

All of these ideas were great, until the day of the shoot. Which brought a massive cold front, bringing single digit temperatures for our nightly lows. And our wonderful indoor location, well, it had no heat.

During the almost 5 hour session, the temperatures dropped both outside and inside the location. I was wearing thermal underwear, Gore-Tex boots, fingerless gloves, and a big winter coat, and I was never really warm. Anna and Jose, wore, well, considerably less. Anna would throw an extra coat I had brought to the shoot on between sets and wardrobe changes, but it never really kept her warm. In some shots, she is just wearing a simple bra/bikini top and a tutu, and that was it.

Anna and Jose, and little else.

When I was in the Boy Scouts, and EMT training during college, you would hear the biggest fear about cold is the how the decision making process of your brain just goes right out the window. You are cold, and you are willing to do just about anything to get warm. Tempers get short and the mind, and the body, only agree on one thing, to get out of the cold and get the body warm again.

For close to 5 hours, both Anna and Jose had to have this battle going on in their minds and bodies, but you would never know it. Several times I told them both that when they were getting cold, the shoot was done. I fully expected the shoot to be dead after about an hour and if I got one good shot, I would be happy. I have had models, in warmer conditions, wearing a lot more clothes, shut down because they couldn’t deal with the cold.

I think their love kept them warm.

But hour after hour, Anna and Jose just dealt with it. Sure we complained and talked about why we didn’t do this during 90-degree weather. But not once did they say, “enough”, “stop”, anything. Multiple wardrobe changes, hair and makeup changes, location moves, and not an even a whimper of “when are we going to be done”. Even when I tried to shut things down, Anna wouldn’t have it. She had rented two amazing tutus and she would be photographed in both outfits, regardless. All in all, Anna and Jose did a total of 4 different wardrobe changes.

Anna is amazing.

The lighting for this shoot was done using every piece of gear that I own. Because of the cold, I didn’t want to take too much time between lighting setups, so I created two areas that we could move to.

The first lighting location/setup was done with 4 White Lightning mono lights. I used a diagonal pattern of light, because I wanted to bring out the definition in the bodies of both Anna and Jose. I also wanted to create an area of light for them to work in, so I didn’t have to move lights every single time they did a different pose. My main light was a White Lightning 1600 mounted to a Soft Lighter umbrella. This light modifier has become one of my new go to tools because of the large size and quality of light it produces. The major downside is that the light is does produce, goes everywhere.

One of my favorite shots. Jose showing off his ninja like B-boy skills.

While I wasn’t in love with the light going everywhere, I did need a large light source for the dancers to work in. I used a beauty dish to the opposite side of the dancers to create some fill. I also used two lights behind and to the side of the dancers to give a “stage lighting” feel to the shoot.

Classic ballet meets classic b-boy.

For the second location, I didn’t want to move lights, so I busted out the Canon Speedlites. Because of the cold, I didn’t want to create a complicated lighting situation, so I put 1 580EX II in a white shoot thru umbrella, attached a long TTL cord between the Speedlite and the camera, so it could act as a master as well as a working flash. I then used 580EX in a silver umbrella that was placed behind the dancers, just off the side of the frame, to create some separation and edge light on their bodies. While this was my quickest of the two lighting setups, in the sense of time, I really love the light that the Speedlites created and almost wished I had started with this location first. No matter how much I use Speedlites; they continue to impress me with what can be done with them.

Behold the power of the Canon Speedlite. Only second to the power and grace of Anna

I can’t imagine how difficult and painful it must have been for both Anna and Jose to endure that kind of cold for that long. I know it took me several hours to get my hands and feet warmed back up.

But the end result may have justified all of the pain and suffering. Now I know why Joe and David love to photograph dance and dancers so much. The power, grace and ability to deal with harsh conditions. I am very lucky to have photographed Anna and Jose, and can’t wait to do it again.

Anna and Jose, amazing dancers, a truly amazing couple.

But the main reason that it bothers me so much is that in 99% of the cases, bad customer service should not happen. In fact, it is an opportunity for business to not only save a relationship with a customer, but the chance to create a more lasting bond with a customer and guarantee future business with them.

Sometime ago, I broke open my piggy bank and decided to purchase the Adobe’s CS5 Master Collection. This is the downside to working in all types of media; you have to have all the applications from Adobe to do this.

My initial experience with Adobe when purchasing the suite was actually very good. I found out that Adobe had finally created a purchasing plan for teachers that, like myself, not only teach Adobe apps, but also use them for their business. This allowed me to purchase the software at a reasonable discount and keep me on an upgrade path for future purposes, in case I stop teaching and work only in the private sector.

This was going to save me several hundreds of dollars, and immediately, I was thrilled with Adobe and their customer service. I found out all of this information through their chat service on their website, which is a feature I like more and more on companies websites.

But unfortunately, this would be the only good customer service that I would receive during this purchase.

The first problem was that to order the software at the education discount, I had to submit paper work to prove my status as a teacher with the University. This was no problem, except that Adobe keeps changing what paper work they need for proof of academic status, and the sales person on chat did not give me all of the details of what needed to be submitted. So in my haste of trying to get all the paper work submitted, and blinded my the prospect of the shinny and new, I left out a piece of paperwork when I submitted my status to Adobe.

So did Adobe call me or email me to let me know that my paperwork was not correct? Nope. Only my continued watching of my order status informed me that my paper work had not been received. So I had to call customer service to find out the status of my order. Chat was no longer available as an option. I was told that the paper work was not complete, which is not what their website said, and I just need to send one additional piece of information. I was also told that approval of the paperwork would take 2-3 business days. Which was odd, because the sales department told me it would take 1 day.

It is important to point out that Adobe does not charge your account until the paperwork has been approved. So not only was I not getting what I wanted as soon as possible, the software, but Adobe was not making any money on a sale. So we were both not getting what we wanted.

Once the paperwork had been approved, the software was shipped. In a surprising move, Adobe shipped the software the same day of approval, and did it using next day priority shipping, so it would arrive on my doorstep as I was coming home for lunch. Which made the whole paper work debacle seem to go away.

The only problem was that the wrong software hit my doorstep. I wanted the Mac version, but I was holding the Windows version. Point of fact, I had made the error in ordering, I had clicked on the wrong button for the version of the suite.

So I get on Adobe.com and hit the chat service, only to find out that I have to call again. I pick up the phone and have what I think might be one of the worst customer service experiences, ever. This is brief idea of what I went through.

Adobe: Hello, how may we help?
Me: Hello, I ordered the wrong software. I need to get the right version sent to me. I know the mistake is on my end, but can I get this expedited today? I really need the software.
Adobe: Sir, we would love to help. We can refund the money to your account. We will have you “burn” the serial number through a form, then have you send the software back, once we receive the software we will refund your account and then you can order the new software.
Me: You can’t just do an exchange?
Adobe: No sir, that is not our policy for education purchases within 30 days.
Me: Why 30 days?
Adobe: That is our policy.
Me: What if it was not an educational purchase?
Adobe: Then we would do an exchange.
Me: What if I noticed this after 30 days?
Adobe: Then we would do an exchange.
Me: That is a terrible policy.
Adobe: That is our policy.
Me: So if I “burn” the serial number, why do you need the box back?
Adobe: That is our policy.
Me: So how long after you get a box back, that does nothing for you, do I get my refund?
Adobe: The process will take 7-10 business days. You should see your money back in the account.
Me: WHAT?????
Adobe: That is our policy.
Me: But if I called you 31 days after purchase, you would just do an exchange?
Adobe: Yes sir, that is our policy.
This conversation continued this way for several more minutes, each minute, the blood continued to flow from my eyes as the sheer stupidity of the conversation continued. And to be clear on a point. Adobe’s “burn” policy on serial numbers is an online form that you fill out with the serial number of the software you are returning. This makes the serial number useless, so it can never be used on an install or registration again.

So all Adobe wanted back was a small box, which contains some DVDs, and no manuals. All the while I would wait 7-10 days to get my money back, so I could then order the correct software.

Then to further add to the stupidity factor, once the money was back in my account, and after I placed the correct order, I had to resubmit my paperwork again, and then wait the several days for approval. This time, the order was still shipped next day priority, but it took them three days from approval of the paperwork, until they shipped it.

Now I know that the initial mistake on the order was my fault. I also know that the failure on the approval of the paper work was my fault. I am also aware that I could have downloaded the Adobe apps from their website to use for 30 days for a free trial while I waited. All points are very true.

But the problem is that Adobe also failed, and they are in the business of making money. Money that I give them for a service/product. They should not have policies in place, which prevent that from happening.

And maybe this is the problem with a company of Adobe’s size, and they have little to no competition. What are you going to use for an alternative to Photoshop? I am not saying that Adobe is some evil empire, but its size and lack of competition may have created a beast that it can’t control.

Thinking of Better Service

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to go to the 24 Hours of Daytona auto race, a dream of mine for many years. I wanted to not only go and watch the race, but also shoot it like I was covering it for an auto magazine.

My plan, which kind of fell apart, was to try to cover the entire 24 hours. I knew I needed to be able to carry all my gear on me, because I didn’t want to run back to a car or hotel and search through a bag. So my solution was to find a belt/harness system.

Not long into my search, I found the fine people at Think Tank Photo. I loved the look, design and detail of their gear, and without having ever touched their gear. I ordered their speed belt system. When the system arrived, I found out that I had outgrown the word medium, and jumped right into large. I only had a few days before I would leave for Florida, and didn’t know how to handle the exchange or return.

I sent an email with my dilemma, fully expecting some request that would require the belt to be sent back, and then have a new one sent back to me. Doug Murdoch returned my email, one of the founders of Think Tank. He told me that I he had just thrown a large belt in the mail and it would be there the next day. When I asked where to ship the old belt back, he told me to hold on to the belt, and give it to another photographer.

To say I was surprised is an understatement. Not only had I been blown away by the quality of the gear, but also the customer service was out of this world. The belt system worked flawlessly and I was able to carry the gear, with no issue, for the entire event, or at least the entire time I was able to stay awake.

I would buy gear from Think Tank again, just based on their quality and design. But, that quality of customer service, guarantees that I will not only buy their gear again, but when I teach and I am asked, I will make sure they know about Think Tank Photo and their wonderful customer service. Many of my students have bought their gear because of this story.

I had the same experience with my recent lens rental from Lens Pro To Go. For some reason, UPS had moved the arrival date of the lenses from Monday delivery to Tuesday, with no reason that I could find on ups.com.

So I contacted Lens Pro To Go to see if they could help. They returned my email, with a phone call! By a real human being!

I will wait for a moment for your jaw to get picked up off the floor.

My representative from Lens Pro To Go (LP2G), who’s name I have forgotten, told me that he didn’t know why UPS had changed the delivery date, but he would call UPS and find out what was going on and get back to me. Without putting me on hold, and calling me back, when I had time to take the call.

At this point I made sure that I have not consumed some sort of hallucinogenic drug or started eating paint chips again.

A few minutes later, my rep calls me back to inform me that there has been a mix-up and the best he can do is get the package to me by Monday afternoon, which was just a few hours after the originally delivery. This seemed OK to me, and much better than a Tuesday delivery anyway. I hung up the phone and went back to my daily tasks.

Another 10 minutes later, my rep called back once more, and told me that he further pursued this issue with UPS, only to find out that UPS couldn’t guarantee the Monday delivery. So he can just put another set of lenses in a box and shipped it out next day air, to make sure I got the lenses on Monday.

You can imagine the smoke coming out of my head was only equal to the pupil dilation in my eyes, because my mind had just been blown.

And just like he promised, that Monday, my lenses showed up on my doorstep.

Both Think Tank Photo and Lens Pro 2 Go demonstrate how to properly handle customer service issues, even if those issues began with the customer’s error. Needless to say that both companies have me as a customer and will always be my first choice when looking at similar products and services that are offered by their competition.

They have also created a buffer for any future issues that may happen, say a shipment is late, or something is not right. I will probably forgive the issue, because of the service I received before, and I am willing to bet, after.

And what can a company like Adobe learn from this? Well, the secret for them is to think small. Both Think Tank and LP2G are small companies that live and die by each customer and word of mouth. In this age of social networking, it doesn’t take much to tarnish a reputation. While Adobe has little competition, they shouldn’t think that way. They should act like a small company, and do right by the customer, not by the policy in place, especially if it is direct opposition to what is best for the customer.

Another thing that Adobe can take away from this, is the disconnect between those employees that first talk to customers, and those that actually create and manage policies for customers. I have nothing against call centers in India, in fact some of the best customer support has come from those centers. But regardless where the center is, India or Indiana, it does me little good if there person I talk to in Customer Support do not actually have any power to support the customer.

Adobe’s failure comes from how many people I had to talk to, and repeat my story to, over and over. I think if my original person on chat knew, and had the power to do so, would have fixed my problem on the spot.

And what can people like us, small business owners, photographers, graphic designers, learn from this? Well, no matter how good our product, photo or designs are, if our service is terrible, then, in reality, so is our product.