Power Trouble

How is your life thrown into a tail spin when the power goes out?

As much as we love rustic camping (and disconnecting occasionally from the electronic society that we all live in) sometimes it is difficult to give our day-to-day luxuries up. Yesterday we were expecting some pretty sever thunderstorms here in the Metro Detroit area.

We were out working in the yard right up until the storm was about to hit and we heard the tornado sirens.  Usually, this is the point where I run for the camera to get some cool storm cloud images (lol), however this time we decided to head inside.  Immediately the storm hit, the power went out, winds kicked in and the rain came...and then it was over...all within about 10 minutes.  The rain stopped quickly, the skies cleared, the winds settled back down,but the power didn't come back on. Now what?  I had promised the kids earlier in the day that we would play video games once the storm came, but that's a little difficult to do without power. Fortunately, their Nintendo DS's were charged and they were able to play for a while before bed - promise kept.

Of course, quickly after the power went out, Heather noticed her phone battery was about shot. And what can we as US citizens not live without?  Our cellphones! What do we do...run for the Vagabond portable power system, by Paul C Buff, of course. :)

Typically this is only used for our on location strobes when our new Vagabond Minis are exhausted, but when times are desparate...we'll do what is necessary.

A bit later, Heather and I decided to catch up on Harry Potter movies and watched Order of the Phoenix.  We wanted to be up-to-speed before we see the final movie.  The problem was our laptop battery wasn't quite charged enough for the full 2 hour 18 minute movie. So what do we run for again?  The Vagabond of course!

So handy...

To end the night perfectly, as soon as the movie was over the power came back on.

~ Kevin

 

Sam Cullen {Dance Individuals}

On Thursday we had the opportunity to spend the evening with Sam Cullen as we photographed her dance portraits against a stunning and gorgeous sky - we couldn't have asked for a more amazing evening!  It was fun to work with Sam and her friend, Alissa Maedel, capturing Sam's various dance passions - point, lyrical, jazz and hip hop.  Sam was the model, Alissa was the technique critic and coach, and we were the . . . well, you know.  (lol)  Together we made an amazing team and captured some fantastic images!  See for yourself . . .

~ Kevin & Heather

Frugal Friday - Batteries...extended

This Frugal Friday we're going to piggyback on last week's post regarding batteries, but today we're going to talk about battery charging.  (excited yet?!?!  lol)

Last week we talked about 'slow charging' your batteries.  What is the difference between 'slow charging' and 'fast charging', you ask?  Well, you're in luck - we have the answer!  According to the Rechargable Battery Review: "Fast charging gets your batteries charged faster but usually results in more stress due to heat. This can reduce a rechargeable battery’s useful life. Also, fast charging may not provide a complete charge.

Slow charging usually means that the battery is stressed less and does not heat up as much. It also may result in a more complete charge. Remember, this is not always true. A bad slow charger can overcharge your batteries resulting in excess heat and permanent damage.

A good charger will not overheat or overcharge the batteries which can lead to damage and a shorter rechargeable battery life span. Good and bad chargers are not based on whether they are slow or fast chargers. Good chargers are built on technology that can monitor and react to changes in  the rechargeable battery temperature and voltage appropriately."

More batteries are damaged by bad charging techniques than all other causes combined.

With all of that in mind, we wanted to let you all know about a great product that will save you $$$ and still gives an accurate slow charge.  We found a wonderful smart charger by Maha that we absolutely love!! This charger holds up to 8 AA or AAA's. It has the ability to slow charge or fast charge, however we only ever use the slow charge feature.  This method of charging takes about 2 hours to complete, so plan ahead.  In comparison, the alternative fast charge option is completed in 1 hour.  We appreciate that in the Maha charger there is a built-in microprocessor that keeps the batteries from being over charged or under charged.

It's definitely an all-around great product to have on hand if you use batteries frequently, like we do. 

~ Kevin

Donovin Hendrix {Senior 2011}

We recently had the amazing opportunity to work with "The Best Dressed Senior" of Bradford Academy in Southfield, MI!  It's not every photographer that gets to claim that sort of privileged status - just us cool cats!

Donovin Hendrix was referred to us by my cousin (thanks, Wayne!), who happens to be a teacher at Bradford Academy.  We were really excited about Donovin's multiple portrait ideas and couldn't wait to put our creative spin on them when we met in Downtown Detroit.  We had recently read an article about the revival of the waterfront warehouse district along the Detroit River, so we had Donovin and his family meet us near the Riverwalk, at the edge of the warehouses.  There were so many locations to choose from among the decaying buildings and graffiti, and the new construction and renovations.  New life and revival were mixed in with exhausted and aging architecture - the perfect backdrop for Donovin's portraits!

Enjoy this glimpse into Donovin's session and stay tuned for teasers from session number 2 in late July.  Don't forget to leave a comment or two!

~ Heather

Frugal Friday - Batteries

As photographers we have found that there is a common need and a common issue in our profession regarding batteries.  We all need to conserve battery power, lengthen the lifespan of our batteries, and save on the all-mighty dollar.  Batteries are a necessary part of every photographer's arsenal and we just cannot do without them.  Fancy equipment is just a pile of plastic, metal and mirrors without the proper "juice" to make them work.  Through our experiences we have found that there are a few, simple ways we can maximize the power and lifespan of our batteries, not to mention ways to make our lives just a little bit easier.

1.  BUY RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES

This up front cost will definitely save you money over time.  Although rechargables are a bit more pricey at the beginning, we have definitely saved time, money and peace-of mind with them.  Our Eneloop batteries (by Sanyo purchased from COSTCO) have been our go-to batteries for powering our external flashes and YongNuo receivers since 2007.  They are solid and dependable.

We like rechargeable batteries because they last - we rarely have our batteries die on us during a shoot anymore.  Rechargeable batteries in the past were hardly worth anything because they just didn't have the "umph" to work longer than a few hours.  New technology has really benefited the longevity and strength that these batteries now offer.

We like rechargable batteries because we KNOW when they are full.  Before every portrait session or wedding we always "slow charge" our batteries so we know we started out at full power.  A 'slow charge' completely drains the battery and then recharges it fully.  By fully draining the battery first will give you a longer overall life of the battery as well as a better charge during each use.  This peace of mind has saved us from running into a potential problem of equipment failure because of dead batteries.

2.  SHOOT TO CONSERVE

You can elongate the life of your batteries simply by adjusting the settings on your flash or equipment.  We always shoot our external flashes on manual and put the power down to the lowest setting we can and still get the look we are aiming for.  The lower the power setting (i.e. 1/32 verses 1/1), the less battery drainage and the longer your battery will last.  Make the necessary adjustments (shutter speed, ISO, etc) to compensate your lower power setting in camera.

This is a nice fact to know if you're shooting an all day wedding or event.

3.  GET OUT EVERY LAST BIT OF JUICE

Have you ever had your camera battery die while you are in the middle of a session, a shoot or a ten-mile hike into the scenic wilderness?  Did you know that even after the camera registers that the battery is dead, you can usually still squeak out a little more power?  Now, this tip won't get you another hour of shooting, but it might allow you to sneak in one or two more necessary shots.  Don’t waste what’s left of your battery power by turning your camera on and off. Set up the shot you want and snap the image as soon as the camera turns on (if it turns on at all).

The first trick is to pop your battery out, rub the metal contacts against your clothing to create a bit of friction and quickly pop it back in.  This personally has worked for us multiple times and has given us just enough power to grab a shot.  

Another trick requires cooling your battery down.  Heat dissipates the charge of most batteries fairly quickly, but if you can remove the battery and cool it off on hot days, you might stand the chance to capture one last image. 

4. LABEL

In order to keep track of which batteries are fully charged and which are dead, we recommend a good labeling system.  It's very frustrating when you accidentally mix up good and bad batteries when you're in a hurry.  Our labeling method is simple, but effective.  We use small carrying cases that we purchased from B&H Photo and Kevin fashioned a "charged"/"dead" label that lays just below the clear plastic.  At a glance we know which batteries to grab and which batteries need to be recharged after a wedding or session.  Simply.  Easy.  Effective.

May your batteries always be fully charged and their lifespan long!

~ Heather