The first thing to say is I am all APPLE. I love their hardware, I love their software. The items they produce are an integral part of of most of what I do. So lets have a look at what happens after the images are captured in the camera.
#1 – I use a bluetooth with the computers. I use the Magic Mouse from apple and also the bluetooth keyboard so I am wire free on the desk.
#2 – For the business side I use my Macbook Pro laptop. It has Microsoft Office installed and I use it for designing marketing material and replying to email and pretty much all office duties. It is getting on a bit now and its likely I will have to upgrade to the new Retina Display Macbook Pro. Something I’m really looking forward to that. I am only upgrading because the chip in the current laptop I have has fallen behind and cannot cope with some of the newer updates from Apple, particularly iCloud.
#3 & #8 – I couldn’t do what I do without music. I have a fairly hefty system rigged in the office of Kenwood and Denison equipment. I like to play it loud…..!
#4 – I got my hands on the Apple iPad two days before the official launch in Ireland and I have not looked back since. It has become an integral part of my workflow and on top of that, it has become part of daily life. I see the iPad as a ‘media consumption device’ more than a replacement for a computer or a tablet. I don’t see it replacing my computers (yet!) but it has managed to become and important part of my workflow when meeting clients, answering email and also for personal use, watching movies, surfing the web or viewing pictures.
#5 – I have a second display that I use for full screen editing of images. This means that I have a clear view of the image while the primary screen keeps all the functions and actions in place. It’s a 24inch Apple LCD display. Great fro watching movies too but don’t tell anyone!
#6 – The main unit for everything is my iMac. I should have a PowerMac and I’m working on that but at the time funds only lent themselves to afford an iMac. It is fully loaded with software and has high performance chips installed and a large hard drive. I do not use it for storage though, I have about 10 terabytes of external hard drives for storage and back up. This is where images reside.
#7 – I tend to work a lot at night on images. This frees me up to spend time with my kids and enjoy family life in general. Also the quiet of the night allows me to focus on the job at hand. That said, I always have my trusty BOSE headphones close to hand so I can plug in and listen to music whilst I work without disturbing anyone else in the house.
#9 – I use a large Wacom tablet for editing. A Wacom tablet is a type of input device for the computer that is extremely useful for all photographers. While the most common way of interacting with a computer is with a mouse and keyboard, this isn’t always the most intuitive. Editing or touching up photos with a mouse can be very time consuming. It’s much more natural for photographers to use a pen or brush to touch up their photographs. A Wacom Tablet provides photographers with this ability.
So thats it on the hardware I use. I hope you found it interesting. Next up will be the software and other stuff that get me through the day.
Later
Cormac
Striking Images Photography
As I mentioned in the previous post, I get asked and emailed a lot about the gear I use so I decided to I tell all. The previous post outlined the cameras, lenses and flashes – which admittedly is the backbone, but there are some additional items that I would not like to be without. These are items I have in the bag at most gigs. I’m not saying all of them get an outing every time I am shooting but it gives me peace of mind to know they are there should I need them.
#1 – Polarising Filters are great on a sunny day and especial during whats know as the ‘Golden Hour’ – that time of the day when the sun is lower in the sky. The polarizing filter has two applications in both color photography and black and white photography: it reduces reflections from some surfaces, and it can darken the sky. I don’t use them much at weddings but they do get the occasional outing!
#2 – This is a late additional to the arsenal in the bag. It is a HDSLR foldable viewfinder that I bought from the guys at Seamless. As I mentioned in the previous post, the Canon 5D Mark II has the capability of shooting full High Definition video and that in conjunction with the interchangeable lenses, makes it a very powerful tool for shooting HD video. This is something I have started to dabble in, with a view to longer term objectives. It simply clips onto the back of the camera’s viewfinder allowing 3.0x magnification and eliminates glare and shadows from the LCD panel. The 3.0x magnification allows for accurate color and focusing too. It’s perfect for shooting HD video or indeed stills with the camera in ‘Live Preview’ mode.
#3 – I have a selection of Pocket Wizard Plus II transceivers which I use to remotely control my lighting. They work on radio signals and do not require line of sight to operate. They can operate up to 1600 feet away and are fantastic. Simply fit them to the lights you are operating with and one to the camera. This allows remote shooting using the flashes but no wires to trip over. Normally, if asked to stay late at a wedding reception, I will rig a light in the room and shoot couples on the dance floor. Obviously when I do portraits they are used with a bigger lighting set up too.
#4 – I use my trusty (and small) Lastolite soft box with the Canon 580Ex flashes and Pocket Wizards to soften light in the room. There is nothing worse than having harsh light when shooting a wedding reception. This soft box is small but efficient and does just the job when needed. Just pop the flashgun into the mechanism and put it on a light stand.
#5 – Picture number 5 just looks like a mess and generally is as wiring, plug ins and additional batteries for all the cameras and lights etc just get chucked into a pocket in the bag. Essential to have back up power though. Nothing could be worse than having a camera stop functioning or a light not firing because of lack of power. These items are heavy in the bag but essential.
#6 & #8 – So I pack the bag with all this stuff but for further safety, the bag is then put into a iM2750 Stormcase. This thing can have a car drive over it and still protect the gear inside. Sold by Pelican cases now, this case is on wheels with a telescopic handle so I can shell it along. It is also fully waterproof should something really bad happen!!!
#7 – This is another selection of filters and I’m not quite sure why they are in the bag! Warm up Filters that I have never ever used. Maybe it is time to do a spring clean….
#9 – I mentioned video on the 5D Mark II earlier but sometimes it;s just not possible. This is where my Flip comes out to play. This little camera has seen its share of hard knocks as you can see in the picture, but it keeps on working. A very simple device for recording video that can be transferred directly via USB to the computer for editing. The newer models shoot full HD but I am quite happy to use this little gizmo until it dies.
#10 – These two items are probably not something you might see at every wedding you go to. You will see them at any wedding I cover when I have an assistant with me. Two small Motorola two way radios. I carry one and my assistant carries the other so we can stay in constant communication throughout the day. Obviously not used in a church but if I’m with the bride and my assistant is with the groom, these little radios pack a punch with a 3 mile range (more or less!), we can make sure we are getting all we need to get.
#11 & #18 – This item has saved my bacon on more than one occasion. It is the PowerMonkey Explorer. A very clever little device that draws power from the sun and coverts it into handy power! It is compatible with the majority of mobile phones, iPods (now including iPhone 3GS/4), MP3 / MP4, PDAs and portable games consoles including the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS & DS-Lite, giving me 96 hours of standby on my mobile, 40 hours on my iPad and iPod. If I am really stuck I can even recharge batteries!
#12 – Apple iPhone, enough said really. the world in my pocket. I can find out mostly anything i need to know, weather, news, lighting – anything really! Play games, watch movies, write my blog – anything that I need – ‘there’s an APP for that’
#13 – Whoops, skipped number 13 – Ah well no going back now!
#14 – All sorts of clamps, suction tripods, magic arms and stuff like that. If you need me to rig a camera somewhere I’m pretty sure I can do it with some of this kit. I have had cameras on top of cars, on sides of motorcycles, 200 metros in the air, rigged for 24 hours to trees for time-lapse. Anywhere and everywhere!
#15 – CF cards! I wouldn’t get too many pictures without these! I use either Lexar or Sandisk and they range in size from 1GB (older ones) to 16GB (newer ones)
#16 – I normally have two pouches on my belt, one containing ‘clean’ or unused cards and the other for cards that have been put through the camera. In the heat of the moment, there is nothing worse than loading a card that is already full of images and possibly missing shots. It’s all about organization on the day.
#17 – Finally USB sticks of all shapes and sizes. Handy gadgets for file transfer or delivery to clients. I use them instead of DVD as I find the solid-state more reliable. They are smaller, faster, have thousands of times more capacity, and are more durable and reliable because they have no moving parts. You can get them in all sorts of size, anything from 4GB to 256 GB. Terrabytes are on the way too.
So thats it for the additional stuff I tend to carry. In hindsight there is probably more but this is the stuff I use most regularly. Hope some of it was of interest to photographers out there.
On the next and final post we’ll have a look at the hardware, software and some other stuff I use, couldn’t be without and find indispensable really!
Later
Cormac
Striking Images Photography
I always get a lot emails with questions about the gear I use so I’m afraid you’ll be getting a ‘three parter on this one’ as I use quite a bit. This first post is about the primary gear, the ‘image-makers’, if you like. I shoot with all CANON camera bodies, lenses and flashguns. I have found them to be reliable, they take a lot of punishment and have never given me any trouble and I have had my equipment in some nasty places! Here is a quick rundown of the gear in the bag.
The Cameras, Lens and Flashes
– Canon 5D Mark II (#1) – This is my main camera and the one that takes the heaviest hit (or shutter count). I thought long and hard about its purchase but I wanted the very best in picture quality. Thats why I bought this camera over the Canon 7D. Usually its partnered with my Canon 24-70mm F2.8 L (#4) lens (Number 4 in the picture). Because of the workout this camera gets on the day of a wedding, I have added a Canon BG-E6 Battery Grip to prolong performance and battery life. Three reasons I love this camera:-
- Excellent Resolution
- High ISO performance
- Full 1080p 30 fps video usable in low light conditions, with very good quality and full manual control.
The third reason gets more important to me as I dabble further into shooting video on the 5D Mark II. I only found out recently that it is the first and only digital camera ever used to take the official portrait of an American president (Barack Obama). So there, a little bit of photo-trivia for you.
– Canon 1DS Mk II (#2) – A real workhorse of a camera. Normally partnered with the Canon 70-200mm IS (Image Stabilizer) f2.8 (#5). Great for getting unobtrusive shots in low light situations such as bridal preparation or in a church. I love this camera for lots of reasons and here is just a few:
- Superb resolution and detail.
- Full frame 35 mm size sensor delivers film-like shooting experience.
- Impressive four frames per second continuous shooting (considering file sizes)
- Superbly well built, ‘a solid block’, fully environmentally sealed, totally robust.
– Canon 5D (#3)– The oldest camera in the bag but it just keeps shooting. I’m not sure what the shutter count on this body is, but it’s high. I have all my equipment regularly serviced and maintained and that has paid off in spades. This camera is normally partnered with my Canon 17-40mm F4 (#6) lens which means it would have the lowest number of shots on it from any given job I shoot. It is really more of a back up but still serves a purpose when I am seeking out ‘funky’ angles at a wide-angle. This camera has served me very well but the ‘old lady’ maybe coming to the end soon I think. It has survived a lot of weddings and also trips to Kenya, Tanzania, Australia, all over Europe and a lot of the USA. Other similar models to this one have been and gone but this camera just keeps shooting. A few reasons I love this camera:
- Excellent resolution, a real upgrade for eight megapixel Canon owners (EOS 20D)
- Full frame 35 mm size sensor delivers film-like shooting experience, real wide angle
- Very large, bright viewfinder really fills your vision
- Very low noise even at higher sensitivities.
Finally in the picture I have my two trusty Canon 580Ex Flashguns. One usually sits the Canon 5D Mark II with the 24-70mm lens and the other normally on the Canon 1DS Mk II and 70-200mm. I say that the are on those bodies but I try only to use them when absolutely necessary as I prefer to shoot mostly with available light. I just don’t like flash! There I said it!
The Bag(s)
For storing all this gear whilst in transit I use LOWEPRO bags and I have a few depending on the kind of job I’m doing. The first bag (#1) is a black LowePro Photo Trekker AW and it was the first bag I bought. I don’t even think LowePro do these anymore which is a testament (sort of) to its durability. When packed correctly it holds all of the above gear and some other bits and pieces too which I’ll tell you about later. It has served brilliantly and has the added advantage of being airplane friendly, so I can carry it onboard when traveling. It also has a cover built in for protection from sand, rain or dust etc.
The second bag (#2) is a LowePro Mini Trekker and I use his mostly on short trips as it is limited in capacity but I still manage to fit in two bodies and two lenses with a little bit of other gear. This generally the bag I would take with me on short holidays.
The third and final bags (#3) is a LowePro (you see where I’m going with this? Love LowePro gear bags!!) is a LowePro Photo Trekker AW and size wise it fits somewhere between the other two. Generally this is used for longer journeys, and can fit all cameras and lenses when packed properly. This bag has been in a lot of hostile environments such as the African plains, Australian outback and all over Europe. It has protected my gear from lots of dust, sand, rain, high temperatures and low temperatures too!
Finally picture (#4) is of my newest tripod. I have a (un)happy knack of leaving this vital piece of gear in various places and having to replace tripods more often than I would like. The latest one is a carbon fibre, so very lightweight, Manfrotto tripod with a Manfrotto head attached. The fluid and fast way I shoot at a wedding, I rarely use my tripod, except for group shots. That said, I do use the tripod for landscape/cityscape work, commercial work and also when I am shooting stock images for some of the picture libraries. Carbon fibre is great because it is strong but at the same time, very lightweight. Two of my three bags also have a slot for packing away the tripod when traveling or when I have the bag on my back.
So that is some of the gear, but only some. In the next post, I’ll tell you about the additional gear that comes with me, generally peripherals items that I really could not be without for all weddings and for most of the other jobs I shoot. Hope you found this interesting.
Later
C
Striking Images Photography
On Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Tracey and Damien. Whilst the weather was pretty awful, with heavy rain showers, we had the great backdrop and location of Durrow Castle in Laois. We were all fortunate that the rain held off for Tracey’s departure from the castle to the church at Clough. Once the ceremony was complete we headed directly back the castle for the reception. We managed to get only some pictures taken outside before the rain returned and we had to head back inside.
Fortunately Durrow Castle has some terrific features inside which lent themselves to great indoor shots too! Whilst it was a pity that we did not manage to venture outside into the beautiful grounds of the castle and its gardens, we still got some beautiful wedding shots for Tracey and Damien. Here is a few below. 
Despite the weather, Marie and all the team at Durrow Castle made everybody’s day run like clockwork. Tracey looked stunning and Damien looked great too! We were delighted to have been asked to capture the wedding day.
Guys have a great honeymoon in Mauritius and a very happy future life together.
Talk soon.
Later
Cormac
Striking Images Photography.
It really is a treat when your work is recognized by other professionals in the wedding industry. Its really special when it’s one of the top 5 star hotels in the country. The guys at Druids Glen Resort in Wicklow thought that we did such a great job that they would mention us on their blog. We were down there on the 16th of June shooting Sinead and Rory’s wedding and we had a terrific time. The couple were great, their families hugely cooperative and finally (and as usual) Neasa and her top team gave us the time and latitude to allow is to get the shots that we were happy with for Rory and Sinead.
Always great to work with great people and great clients and strangely enough when you get that combination, you get great pictures……!
Striking Images featured on the Druids Glen blog.
Later
Cormac
Striking Images
So Microsoft had a presentation and launch of its new iPad Killer known as the ‘Surface’ (catchy huh?) and for the poor guy delivering the keynote things went wrong. Have a look. Would not inspire me with confidence. Guess I won’t be buying one of those then…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNLfXhvg6qU#fail
Later
C
