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X Marks The Spot With Fujifilm’s New X-Pro2 Camera Launched Today

January 15, 2016 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

The Fujifilm X-Pro 2 is finally out. After years of speculation and lust, photographers can rejoice today. As a Fujifilm X100T user (scratch that, devotee), I was on the fence about buying a new Fujifilm camera.

At Photo Plus Expo, I tried the Fujifilm XT-1 but wasn't taken to it like I had with the X100T.

Form factor and the way the camera simply blends in the way I work made me wonder about a camera similar to the X100T but with the ability to change lenses. That camera may just be the Fujifilm X-Pro2.

There are a lot of reasons to own this new camera body. But first a few videos that set the tone.

David Alan Harvey

Max de Martino

Gianluca Colla

Kevin Mullins

Find a whole slew of other videos on Fujifilm's YouTube channel.

The reviews are out too for this new Fujifilm camera.

Jonas Rask

Jonas Rask - Fujifilm X-Pro 2 Review

Kevin Mullins

Kevin Mullins: Fujifilm X-Pro2 Review

Damien Lovegrove

Damien Lovegrove - Fujifilm X-Pro2 Review

Patrick LaRocque

Patrick LaRoque - Fujifilm X-Pro2 Review

Tomash Trzebiatowski

Fujilove - Fujifilm X-Pro2 Review

If you poked through the videos and reviews above, I am sure you want order a Fujifilm X-Pro2 like I do. If you are in the US, you have at least 3 options when it comes to buying it online:

B&H Photo Video

Fujifilm X-Pro2 At B&H Photo Video

Adorama

Buy The Fujifilm X-Pro2 At Adorama

Amazon

Buy Fujifilm X-Pro2 at Amazon

So, what's going to be? Are you convinced this new camera may be just the thing for you and your photography business? Does your approach to photography lend itself to using a camera in an unobtrusive way? Can you see yourself photographing without those heavy DSLR cameras?

I for one am looking to divest myself from my Nikon D700. It's a matter of time when I swap that system out for the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and its slew of sharp, fast lenses.

Which lenses will they be? I'll follow up in another blog post with my choices. Until then, think about how your gear should get out of your way of making art.

If my experience with the Fujifilm X100T is any indication, the Fujifilm X-Pro2 carries forth that same feeling or culture with it; it's a silent but equal partner in the art of image making.

I want to hear from you. Share your thoughts below in the comments section. What do you like or do not like about the Fujifilm X-Pro2?

Filed Under: Home Middle Right, Photo Technology, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: Buy Fujifilm, fujifilm, fujifilm cameras, Fujifilm X, Fujifilm X Pro 2, Fujifilm X-series, Fujifilm X100, Kevin Mullins, New Fujifilm Camera, Patrick Laroque

Jen Basford’s Fashion Lighting Guide For Senior Portraits

September 16, 2013 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

As a creative person in business, I am sure you strike that fine balance between craft and commerce. Most of us toil on the craft but forget that what we love doing can and also should earn us a living wage.

I've been listening to a few industry leaders who not only talk-the-talk but also walk-the-walk. Their solution is this: approach your genre of photography with a system in place.

Jen Basford - 3Girls Photography

You see, when you have a process to follow each and every time you photograph someone, you actually gain a creative edge, not lose it. Stay with me for a moment.

Here is what happens at least for me. I've noticed that the more I follow a script or a series of steps consistently, I am able to gain on time which in turn allows me to “play” and be creative even more. It's a win-win scenario that finally dawned on me.

Now, I've found one big stumbling block for photographers is the use of off-camera flashes. When photographers state that they are “natural light” photographers in their website biographies, I have to wonder if they are simply declaring that they: a) do not own a flash or b) do not feel they can learn flash photography because they feel it is too complicated.

For those photographers who wish to specialize in high school senior portraits, it is now even more important to know and use off-camera flash. Why? Very simply your clients are expecting their images to pop and there is really no other way to not only enhance their experience working with you, but also see that the final images are so very different than what their friends in school have received from your competition.

There are lots of resources now to learn flash photography. But there is finally a useful guide book that will walk you through a system to use studio strobes or off-camera flashes, especially if you are photographing high school seniors.

Jen Basford, Edmond, Oklahoma based high school senior portrait photographer is an industry leader in her niche. Not only does she have a busy studio, she also founded Seniors Ignite, a conference for senior portrait photographers. Next year's venue is at the very swanky The Westin Lake, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jen is no stranger to Tiffinbox either. You can read her posts “3 Marketing Ideas For Senior Portrait Photographers” or “Are Senior Portraits Your Target Market?”

It is Jen's system that you will learn about in the Fashion Lighting Guide For Senior Portraits. If you ever felt like tapping a pro to ask them “how” they light or pose their high school senior clients, this is the guide book to get. It's available between Monday, September 16th and Sunday, September 22nd. Check the timer below. If you see all zeroes below, the deal is gone and Jen tells me she isn't bringing it back anytime soon (if at all). This isn't some pushy sales ploy trying to get you to buy it. If you feel that you need it after reading this mini-review, I trust that you will jump in and buy it before the buzzer goes off and disappears. So, are we cool?

[ujicountdown id=”Lighting Guide Sale Circles” expire=”2013/09/23 00:00″ hide = “true” style = “modern”]

Jen Basford's Fashion Lighting Guide For Senior Portraits

In the 71-page Fashion Lighting Guide For Senior Portraits, Jen offers us a peek into over 20 of her go-to lighting setups. She walks you through indoor and outdoor shoots. The guide is peppered with examples of her work, so just as soon as you see a lighting setup, you see a series of examples that show you how Jen was able to accomplish this.

Each lighting scenior includes the detailed setup, a few comments from me on the setup, and several posing ideas using the actual lighting.

The bonus? All of this is also available for your iPhone or iPad, so you could take the guide with you on shoots and refer to it as you photograph your high school senior clients.

Now, Jen's clients are almost all high school senior girls. So in the event Jen publishes an update to this guide, I have just one request: let's see some examples of how she would light and pose high school senior boys as well.

This deal is pretty sweet, but I am going to make it even sweeter for you.

Not only will you get yourself an excellent go-to guidebook, but if you buy it using my affiliate link (that supports this blog), I'll create a private Facebook group where you can upload images you've learned to create from the guide, for individual critiques by me.

You want in? So, here is what you need to do:

1) Buy the guide today for $149
2) LIKE the Tiffinbox Facebook Page
3) Forward me your receipt (showing your name)

I'll add you to the exclusive group. Please note that I need at least 10 people to sign up before the timer goes away. And, the learning can go on! How does that sound to you? Sound off below!

[ujicountdown id=”Lighting Guide Sale Circles” expire=”2013/09/23 00:00″ hide = “true” style = “modern”]

Buy the Fashion Lighting Guide For Senior Portraits Now!

Filed Under: Lighting, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: Fashion Lighting, Flash, High School Senior Portraits, high school seniors, jen basford, Lighting Guide, Photography, School Seniors, Senior Portrait, senior portrait photographer, Senior Portrait Photographers

Joe McNally & David Hobby’s Flash Bus Tour 2011 DVD Set On Sale

November 29, 2012 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

Look, the holidays are upon on us and it is the season of giving gifts to each other. No escaping that trip to the mall, or is there? Time to admit to yourself that some of the stuff you will receive during the holidays will be sheer junk. Right? But I am here to steer you or your well-intentioned Aunt Margie in the right direction.

You are a photographer or you are trying your hand at off-camera flash and you have no clue where to start. I have been there and totally get you. Without Zack Arias' One Light Workshop and One Light DVD I know I would have been lost. That was the first step I chose to take. The next step was to immerse myself into David Hobby's well known site, Strobist. I suggest you check it out as well.

The transition from Zack to David was a smooth one as they both preach shooting in manual mode. But when you pay $500 for a SB-900, you want it to jump through hoops for you when you want it to. To learn how to do that, one simply need to look no further than Joe McNally. TTL is like putty in his hands and I was determined to find out how he used his lights.

Wel, lucky me, in 2011 I heard that David Hobby and Joe McNally were getting on a bus and hitting a bunch of cities. While they didn't stop in Hartford, thanks to Jeffrey Snyder and Adorama, I was able to get a ticket to their Boston presentation. It was an all day event and they rocked the house with great useful information that I was excited to put to use right away.

David Hobby & Joe McNally Flash Bus DVD SetWould you like to know what they demonstrated? Would you like to see how they each took a challenging lighting situation and solved it in front of a house full of other photographers (no pressure, eh, David and Joe?)

Yes, you can “attend” one of their presentations. Adorama has had the “Flash Bus Tour 2011 – Two Disc Set, By Joe McNally & David Hobby” on their shelves for sometime. Yes, I should have blogged about this before, but when I saw a Tweet from Jeffrey Snyder today that Adorama was selling off all copies of this awesome 2-DVD set at 50% off, I couldn't resist telling you about it right away.

So, if you or Aunt Margie is looking for a meaningful gift, send yourself or your aunt here to buy the 2-DVD set for $49.99. [affiliate link] No lie, obsessive as I am about learning from these two pioneers, I actually bought my copy of this 2-DVD set today.

I am told by Jeffrey and his colleague at Adorama, Joel Meisels, that when they are gone, they are GONE. So, are you going to procrastinate or take action? It really comes down to how serious you are about elevating your game.

Full disclosure: If you buy the DVD mentioned above, using the links in this post, I earn a small commission that helps support this website.

Filed Under: Off-Camera Flash, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: david hobby, Dvd Sets, flash bus, joe mcnally

Mark Wallace’s Speedlights 101 At CreativeLive

May 14, 2012 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

Ever since Mark Wallace picked my name out of a hat to win a pair of PocketWizard Mini TT1/Flex TT5 units, I have been a fan of his.

Just kidding.

I always enjoy the way Mark teaches photography, especially lighting. His technical acumen about big studio lights or little on or off-camera speedlights is phenomenal.

While his YouTube channel is full of great videos explaining how he uses light, from May 18 through the 20th, he is going to be doing a bit of a brain dump through CreativeLive. So, sitting in the comfort of your home, you can tune in online to view Mark talk about Speedlights for FREE. On those days alone, it is a live event.

I have watched and bought several CreativeLIVE courses and they are all very well produced. Also, knowing Mark, I expect his attention to detail and his dedication to teaching to come through. What's truly awesome about CreativeLIVE is, as it is happening, you can ask the instructor questions or comment on what you are learning. You do need a Twitter account and the right hashtag to do so. If you enroll now for Mark's class, I am sure you will be emailed some instructions on what to do.

If you can't make the online event or the nightly re-broadcasting of the show, then you can buy the download for $99 – a small investment for your business or hobby. If you know the in's and out's of using your speedlights this course may not be a good fit for you. But if you are like me who wants to know all the functions, say, a Nikon SB900 provides, then I would recommend tuning in (hey, it's FREE) on May 18th, 19th and 20th.

If you miss Mark's CreativeLIVE presentations, you can hopefully catch him during one of his photography workshops this year. He is going to start in his hometown of Phoenix, then goes to Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Miami and Houston. Other cities may be added to the list. So, keep an eye out for that on his workshop site. Mark is offering 4 distinct workshops at each stop. Check them out! I hope to go to the ones in New York, unless of course, he decides to bring the workshop to Boston, or better yet, to Hartford, Connecticut.

Filed Under: Lighting, Off-Camera Flash, Photography, Reviews, Workshops Tagged With: flash photography, mark wallace, nikon, photographic lighting, pocketwizard, speedlight, speedlights, studio lighting, Teaching, teaching photography

Going Wireless: PocketWizard For Off-Camera Flash

June 15, 2011 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

The very core of the Strobist experience is to use your flash units off-camera or studio strobe units on location. There are a lot of options in the market now that can help you do just that. From personal experience, though, I have used the PocketWizard Plus II Transceivers. More recently I switched to Paul C. Buff's CyberSync system. Now I am considering returning back to PocketWizard.

These two videos below by Mark Wallace have convinced me to make the move back. The videos show how the new units work with the Nikon camera and flash systems. I suspect, however, the way these units operate won't be too radically different if you are using a Canon system. So everyone is welcome!

How To Shoot With PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5

How To Use The PocketWizard AC3 Zone Controller

For using these units on a Canon system, check out these video tutorials.

By sheer coincidence, I won these units some time back. So, you'll see an “open-box” video very soon. Stay tuned! Thanks to Mark Wallace and Phil Bradon of Mac Groups for sending me the Nikon version of these PocketWizard units. I can't wait to go out and play with them.

Below, tell me if you have considered buying these units or you have already invested in a RadioPopper or some other wireless system. Do you work with flash off-camera or studio units for your shoots? Do you have questions on how to set those up? Would you find it useful if there were more tutorials posted here on Tiffinbox? Let me know!

Filed Under: Off-Camera Flash, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: camera flashes, cameras, digital photography, electronics, Flash, j. mark wallace, live preview digital cameras, nikon, nikon camera, off-camera flash, Photography, pocketwizard, red digital cinema camera company, shooting, strobist, technology, Video, video tutorials, zone controller

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About Seshu

Seshu creates relaxed portraits of families and high school seniors in Avon, Connecticut. He also leads a successful headshot photography studio in Connecticut, helping professionals from a variety of disciplines project the very best versions of themselves. He created Tiffinbox as a way of inspiring photographers, to create better images and successful businesses. [Read More]

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