I recently got a new contract job through a local camera shop photographing their used equipment for Ebay. This is not your every day photo equipment. This is mostly high-end photo equipment with labels like Leica and Hasselblad, but I do see the occasional Nikon equipment. I take the product, clean it up, photograph it with any contents (boxes, manuals, accessories), list the contents, rate the condition, note of any wear or blemishes, photograph different angles, and photograph any damage that the product might have. Then, the next step is processing the images for the web and inputing the information with pictures to the Ebay account.
This is a picture of my work station taken with my new Motorola Droid (not very good with low light capabilities, but it is 5mp). I’m using a Profoto D4 pack with D4 heads, Elinchrom octo bank (main light right), Profoto soft box (over head), a reflector on the left, and a product table lit from the back. Simple set up.
I am really enjoying this job. I get to see many different types of cameras and try out new equipment. Just the other day I used the new Leica S2, which is a $28,000 camera. It was sweeeeeet! Here are a few photos of what I am doing and a short video from Animoto–I am really dig’n their program. To see more of my images check out my website: www.timbreaseale.com
I’m always happy to hear about little things that can help out and make work flow more efficient. That’s why I have decided to add this section to my blog, “Tips & Tricks.” There are a lot of little tips or ticks that can help you on your day-to-day photo experience. To keep with my blog theme, Photography: know your tools, one excellent tool is your camera’s instruction manual. I would say that I am the typical man who never reads the manual unless it’s a have-to. I took mine out the other day because there are many custom functions on my camera that I have never used. I didn’t know what some of the functions even did (that’s a topic for another post). I have always used my camera in the manual position, so I was not concerned with custom functions.
Back on track now. I started flipping through the instruction manual and came across the section about the batteries. Since my Canon 10D and 40D use the same batteries, here is the tip that I found in the Canon Instruction Manual that deals with the battery with protective snap cover:
You can attach the cover in a different orientation to indicate whether the battery has been recharged or not. If the battery has been recharged attach the cover so that the battery-shaped hole is aligned over the blue seal on the battery. If the battery is exhausted, attach the cover in the opposite orientation.
I just thought this was a good example of how (if you have multiple batteries in your camera bag) you can visually designate which batteries are charged and which are depleted. Also, this is an example of how it’s a good idea to read your instruction manual, even every 4-5 months, because you can find something new every time you read it. I started shooting with Canon digital cameras back in 2001 and never knew this information about the battery snap cover until now.
Note: Even though I am a 100% Canon shooter, not all my “Tips & Tricks” will be for Canon shooters.
I have decided to add video to the blog. I hope that these videos will help teach, inform, and inspire you to get out and start making some awesome images! So please, enjoy the videos.
I have chosen three videos to kick off the “Watch This” section. All three videos I picked are from Chase Jarvis. Chase is a commercial photographer out of Seattle, Washington.
This behind-the-scenes video is action-packed with Ninjas, smoke, weapons, and a cool location. ”Storytelling, creative innovation, and visual voodoo—no matter the medium—make my heart go thump thump; and sharing all this online with the world, plus as much of my professional experience as I can muster, makes my soul sing”(Chase Jarvis). His work, simply put, is awesome! Enjoy!
This video from Chase shows how he mounts cameras in various positions to get the “Point-of-View” for the shot. Since I am a mountain biker, this video brought back many memories of how we would sit around trying to come up with ways to mount video and stills. It’s so much easier these days for mounting cameras.
The last video of this post is a very important one for someone who is about to travel with photo gear. It can be challenging to get your gear from one place to another, especially if your flying out of the continental U.S. This video will help you organize, choose the right bag or case, and travel more safely and efficiently to your destination. Towards the end of the video, have your pen and paper ready because Chase gives you some excellent info on how to get your equipment a “Passport”(www.atacarnet.com), documentation through the government, and helpful tips from the TSA(www.tsa.gov). I just wish that this video was around when I started going to Ecuador. It would have been so helpful.
might have. Then, the next step is processing the images for the web and inputing the information with pictures to the Ebay account.
