Induro Blog

Gavin Seim’s Road Trip Journal

M. Gertz — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:35:14 +0000

Family Portrait | © Whitemire Associates

Gavin Seim describes himself as an American Pictorialist who’s “passionate about making wall art, writing stories and sharing what [he] learns.” For three to five months out of every year, Gavin takes off in a camper with his family to “attempt to make images and film that do justice to the beauty of America.”

Gavin Seim | © Casondra Seim

He admits to being fanatical about quality and, shooting with both digital, medium and large format film, a tripod is a must.

He writes:

Gavin Seim | © J. Eldridge

“I carry an AT213 with a PHQ1 head almost everywhere – Nearly all my serious wall images are made using a tripod. I’ve found stability to be one of the Six Keys of Image Quality and it’s ignored at the cost of fine details.

Induro offered me a solid value with great leg locks and good support even for my larger film cameras, all while maintaining portability. My Induro is the best tripod I’ve owned since starting in photography at age twelve.”

Thankfully for us, Gavin is documenting his 2013 trip on his blog, A Road Trip Journal. There he’ll let you in on all the ups and downs, highs and lows, of camping with your family, being constantly on the move, and photographing every day in new locations.

Super Truck | © Gavin Seim

He calls what he’s doing “super camping”, as his custom-built rig is completely independent and does not need to be hooked up in a campground. His truck even has a photographer’s platform on the roof! If you’d like to try out super camping for yourself, Gavin has written a helpful article on the process.

He’s shooting film, so to see the final work, we’ll have to be patient! In the meantime, take a look at some of his images from past trips.

Gavin also offers EXposed, an instantly downloadable workshop about light, and his very own presets for Lightroom, Photoshop, and Aperture, Seim Effects. See more of his work and everything else he’s up to at Seim Studios.

All images and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Gavin Seim, all rights reserved; story is ©Induro. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

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Barnstorm: The Eddie Adams Workshop XXVI

Ron Egatz — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:12:07 +0000

The Eddie Adams Workshop would like to announce the 26th Workshop, which will be held October 11-14, 2013 in New York. The workshop is an intense four-day gathering of the top professionals in photojournalism, along with 100 carefully selected students.

The workshop’s purpose is to create a forum in which an exchange of ideas, techniques, and philosophies can be shared between both established members and newcomers of the profession.

The only tuition-free workshop of its kind, 100 students are accepted based on the merit of their portfolios from a pool of college students, professionals with three years or less experience, and U.S. military photographers.

Applications will be accepted until May 31, 2013.

October 11-14, 2013
Jeffersonville, New York

All who qualify should apply at www.eddieadamsworkshop.com.

Eddie Adams Workshop on Facebook.

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Induro Hi-Hat Video from NAB 2013

Ron Egatz — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:48:34 +0000

Victor Ha is seen in the above video at the Benro and Induro booth at NAB 2013. He gives a quick rundown of both the Induro 75mm bowl Hi-Hat and 100mm bowl Hi-Hat, including their astounding load-bearing capacities.

Check out the video overview above, and don’t forget to see more of the great work the folks at InFocus do.

All images, video, and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©InFocus Video Event, all rights reserved; story is ©Induro. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

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Jay and Varina: Shooting the Moon at Twilight

M. Gertz — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:16:24 +0000

This post is part of a series of educational posts from photographers Jay and Varina Patel. If you like what you see, take a look at their eBooks. Discount code for Induro blog readers at the end of this post!

The moon is a gorgeous subject, but it can be tough to get the shot you want. Have you ever taken a photograph of the moon at night only to discover that it is so bright in your photograph that it appears as a bright, white spot? Do you want to capture a landscape photograph with objects in the foreground and the moon in the sky as well? The trick is to capture the scene at twilight. When the light is low, you can capture the moon and the foreground with a single exposure – without blowing out the moon or leaving the foreground pitch dark.

I took this shot at Sandy Beach on Oahu early this week. Here are a few useful tips that helped me get the shot I wanted.

1. I used an Induro tripod (a CT113 and BHL1 ballhead) to hold my camera steady. A 1/5 sec shutter speed let me blur my moving subjects in the foreground for a bit of motion without blurring my moon.

2. I took a couple of test shots to make sure I had the focus I wanted both in the foreground and in the sky. I zoomed in to check the photo on the back of my camera to be sure the details in the moon were sharp.

3. I stood well back from my foreground and used a long lens – 70-200mm with a 1.4x extender – which let me zoom in to show the large size of the moon as it rose. A wide angle lens will leave you with a tiny, little moon that gets lost in the frame.

Do have any more tips for shooting the moon? Please share them in the comments so that others can learn! And then, get out there and shoot the moon, everyone! It’s such a beautiful subject!

To learn more about photography check out our eBooks.

Use the code induro6022 when you checkout and you’ll receive 10% off any order over $20.

(via Photography by Varina)

All images and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Varina Patel, all rights reserved; story is ©Induro. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

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NextWaveDV and the Induro Hi-Hat Sittin’ in a Tree

M. Gertz — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:32:50 +0000

Ok, they’re not in a tree. But they are on the in a van, in the snow, on tabletops, and maybe even thinking about hanging upside down.

The filmmakers over at NextWaveDV review the Induro Hi-Hat in the video above, saying that once you get used to having one on set, you’ll find it hard to go back to working any other way. They wrap up by saying:

“We definitely give the Induro a big thumbs up. If you’re in the market for a Hi-Hat or don’t even know you really need one, definitely check out the Induro. The solution is great and the price is so affordable that you could easily pick up one or more of them.”

Watch the video above and for more, check out NextWaveDV.

All images, videos and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Mark Wallace, all rights reserved; story is ©Induro. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

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In My Bag: Valerie Millett On the Back Roads

M. Gertz — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:51:50 +0000

Valerie Millett is a landscape photographer based out of Arizona who often goes to, what some would consider, extreme lengths to get the photographs that best represent her experiences in nature. Hiking and camping in remote areas with only her dog for companionship, Valerie’s dedication to her art shines through her images.

What’s in her bag? Glad you asked. (Hover over the image to see each item identified.)

Growing up in California, Valerie explored her surroundings from the Santa Ana River system, where she collected salamanders and frogs, to the cities’ subterranean aqueduct system to train hopping.

After moving to Arizona, she became an avid hiker and started a project to hike and photograph every trail listed in the Arizona Highways hiking guide. Inspired by the work of Derek von Briesen, Valerie was driven to improve her photography skills in order to do “justice to the beauty [she] was seeing out in the Arizona wilderness.”

In the 20 months that followed, she writes, “He has since not only inspired me to be the best photographer I can be but also to be conscientious steward of the fragile landscapes around Arizona and Colorado Plateau. To be a photographer with a conscience and a heart. To love the landscape and, most importantly, to respect the land.”

Valerie writes:

I’m simply content to be on the trail with my camera and my dog, Halo, just wandering and exploring the Southwest. When I’m on the road I live out of the back of my SUV, which I have converted to be a rather comfy hotel on wheels, whether staying in a campground or the National Forest. My best times are spent hiking all day, photographing, and then ending up relaxing around a campfire with my dog who eats all my Fig Newtons.

Working alone in remote areas means that everything she might need needs to fit in a hiking backpack. Because of the physically demanding nature of what she does, she says that she often gets “at least 10 emails a day from other female photographers and even guy photographers asking what type of gear I use because of the abuse I put my stuff through… I rave on about my Induro gear which has been triumphant in the rain, snow, creeks, rivers, mud and all the stuff I drag it through.”

In the meantime, her blog, Wandering on the Edge, where she documents her journeys with photography and writing, has developed an international following. This year, she was asked to participate in Healing Images, an organization that offers art to hospitals and clinics as an effort to become a part of the healing process.

Next, she’s off to Coyote Buttes in the Paria Canyon – Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness near the Utah/Arizona border to camp, explore, and, of course, photograph for four nights.

“My photography life,” she writes, “is pretty much on the back roads.”

Follow Valerie on her blog, Wandering on the Edge. Connect with her on 500px and Facebook.

All images and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Valerie Millett, all rights reserved; story is ©Induro. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

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Gavin Seim Is Making a Film (And You Can Help)

M. Gertz — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:51:01 +0000

Gavin Seim, whose cross-country photography road trip we’ve just written about, is making a film – actually, his second, and he needs your help to finish it. Entitled Photographics, Gavin aims to create a film that will delve, not into f-stops and shutter speeds, but into the very essence of what makes a great photograph.

He says, “Our goal is not an easy one. We’ll journey thousands of miles and study art and photographs passing centuries of knowledge. Our goal is not to define rules but to understand the guides and help each one of us understand what makes a great image.”

His Kickstarter ends May 22nd and he is already just a few pledges away from meeting his goal and making this film a reality. Read more about the project and consider pitching in on Kickstarter.

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Gavin Seim’s Road Trip Journal

M. Gertz — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:35:39 +0000

He admits to being fanatical about quality and, shooting with both digital, medium and large format film, a tripod is a must.

He writes:

“I carry an AT213 with a PHQ1 head almost everywhere – Nearly all my serious wall images are made using a tripod. I’ve found stability to be one of the Six Keys of Image Quality and it’s ignored at the cost of fine details.

Induro offered me a solid value with great leg locks and good support even for my larger film cameras, all while maintaining portability. My Induro is the best tripod I’ve owned since starting in photography at age twelve.”

He’s shooting film, so to see the final work, we’ll have to be patient! In the meantime, take a look at some of his images from past trips.

The post Gavin Seim’s Road Trip Journal appeared first on Induro Blog.

HDSLR Video Shooter Workshops

Ron Egatz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:51:11 +0000

Victor Ha of the HDSLR Video Shooter site has posted a list of workshops to be held around the U.S. from May through November. It’s aimed at still photographers looking to transition into shooting HDSLR video.

Each workshop is a two-day event promises to cover everything a photographer will need to make the leap into motion, no pun intended. You’ll get hands-on experience with many of today’s top video production tools. One of these tools will be Induro’s revolutionary Hi-Hat. A relatively simple item in appearance, the Hi-Hat is a go-to item for many filmmakers because of its versatility and durability. A tool used for low-angle shots, table-top work, and even as a camera slider support, you’ll see firsthand how having a simple tool can make a world of difference in creating compelling content.

Get full details at HDSLR Video Shooter and make the leap into motion now!

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Celebrate Worldwide Pinhole Day with a good set of legs and a flexible head

Matt Hill — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:19:48 +0000

Normally, we focus on the best work of pros, which usually consists of tack-sharp images captured with the aid of Induro tripods and heads. Today, we will deviate to celebrate a form of photography that paved the way to modern professional photography.

April 28, 2013 is the next Worldwide Pinhole Day and we’d like to remind you having a good set of legs is a great idea for looooong exposures. Sure, it’s easy to rest your infinite-focus pinhole camera on the ground because it’s stable, but it’s not always the most interesting point of view, and it sure isn’t as flexible as a PHQ head (wink). Great composition can really take your lo-fi pinhole images from cool to awesome.

© Matt Hill
Coney Island boardwalk, shot on 2008 Worldwide Pinhole Day outing with friends (on a tripod!). 5-minute exposure on 4×5″ 200 speed film shot on Santa Barbara wide wooden pinhole camera.

What is a Pinhole? Outside of a troublesome state of being for a bike tire, it’s one of the oldest forms of photography and the origin of the Camera Obscura. A Pinhole Camera is a camera with a simple lens — a pinhole — you leave open for a much longer time to get a good exposure than a glass or plastic lens.

You can use a film camera or a digital camera. Or, you can make your own with a light-tight container and sensitive materials. Keep in mind pinhole “lenses” are not as sharp as standard lenses, so expect some softness.

Get involved! Here is a list of where you can meet up with other pinhole enthusiasts around the world!

Below is a starter list of ways you can get out an make some pinhole exposures. In no way is it comprehensive, but we hope for those of you who have not tried it, you find inspiration to shoot with a simple lens and get in touch with the roots of your craft.

Digital Pinhole examples on Flickr.
Solutions:
HOLGA Pinhole Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
HOLGA Pinhole Lens for Nikon SLR Cameras
HOLGA 35mm Pinhole Camera
Lensbaby Optic Kit (includes a Pinhole and Zone Plate)

Film Pinhole Examples on Flickr
Solutions:
DIY Stereo Pinhole Camera Set (Black) (hard to tell if it has a tripod mount)
Harman Titan 4×5 Pinhole Camera Kit – a fairly inexpensive kit to get shooting with 4×5 film.
Lensless Camera Manufacturing Company (4×5″, 5×7″, 8×10″, 11×14″ wood cameras)
Leonardo 3″ 8×10 and Leonard 6″ 8×10 cameras (the longer the camera, the longer the “lens” a.k.a focal length)
LOMO Paper Pinhole Camera (no tripod mount!)
Paint Can Camera
Pinhole Blender
P-Sharan SQ-35 Pinhole (no tripod mount!)
P-Sharan STD Pinhole (no tripod mount!)
Zero Image Wooden Pinhole Cameras

Note: some cameras have tripod mounts and some do not! You may need gaff tape for some… (grin)

Other great resources on pinhole photography:
f295
photo.net
Without Lenses

Group shot from WWPD 2008, shot on Mamiya 7 II with 35mm ILFORD XP2. LEFT: Gabe is holding a Zero Image pinhole camera. MIDDLE: D. Kelly. RIGHT: Angelia Lane Murray

And I must mention my teaching partner and friend, Gabriel Biderman, who is an awesome pinhole photographer among many other things (including night photography).

Do yourself a favor. Get your pinhole camera and tripod out, find a group, and get shooting on Sunday!

All images and quotes in this post are used with permission and ©Matt Hill, all rights reserved; story is ©Induro. Please respect and support photographers’ rights. Feel free to link to this blog post, but please do not replicate or re-post elsewhere without written permission.

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