Covid has been quite the journey! We moved right in the middle of the pandemic and are now finally situated in South Bend, Indiana! It is quite a change for us, but we are excited, nonetheless.
We are still getting used to the area, but we are always trying to explore new areas. We are, of course, trying new places to eat and are looking for other great activities. We have been impressed with the area, and we can’t wait to get going on helping people get the best photography possible!
There are a few rumors floating around the internet right now about the next iteration of the Canon Cinema C300 camera. Personally, I am really excited. I usually have to work with a really fast turnaround on almost everything I do, and Canon Cinema delivers. Here is a long list of thoughts I had about the new camera rumors and a couple thoughts about what I would like to see:
I think that the biggest news for most people is the possibility of 8K capture. Canon has been behind on the resolution game, but I don’t think it has been that much of a hinderance. More companies have started to use 4K, but 1080p is still fairly ubiquitous for online videos. While 8K could be nice for green screen and visual effects, I really don’t see much of a need for 8K for most applications. I am going to be releasing a video about this soon, so I’ll just leave it at that.
While I haven’t seen anything regarding high-speed, I hope that Canon will offer some more options in their new camera. I don’t think it needs to be anything crazy, but it would be nice to be able to overcrank beyond 29.97 in 4K. Also, one thing that Canon and Arri have over the Red cameras are that they don’t crop in on the sensor for all their higher frame rates. It would be great to have higher speeds on the camera and know that my 20mm lens still looks like a 20mm lens.
I think what has me most excited is the possibility of a firmware upgrade! Personally, I would love to be able to significantly upgrade my camera a year after purchasing it. Buying a replacement camera is always a difficult process for a small studio. I want something that will allow me to stay competitive, both in what I can offer and my prices. If I can upgrade my camera system without having to buy an entirely new camera, I am totally onboard.
I’m not sure if Canon has considered this, but I would love to have the option to rent the firmware features. It would be great to get 8K only for the week I need it. Because of how infrequently I would need some of those features, it would really help me from a business sense if I can rent the upgrade.
While it is fun to dream of everything, eventually the camera will come out. And it never matches what everyone wants. That being said, it sounds like Canon is making additional efforts to stay competitive. That is a good thing for everyone. Canon cameras have never seemed to have been as good on paper as some of their competitors, and some of their cameras are starting to show their age.
I recently had the opportunity to try out the Cambo WRS 1600 technical camera. For those unfamiliar with what a technical camera is, it is basically a camera that allows the lens and the sensor to shift in relationship to each other. While there are many applications for it, I particularly like it because it is so useful for architecture. Here, I had the opportunity to try it out.
Read MoreWe just had our first shoot in our new studio space! We pushed our model, Gabriella, to the limit, having her jump in an evening gown (sometimes with heels on). The overall focus of the shoot was to explore some contradictions, thus the jumping and burger-wielding all in evening gown.
We found out after starting the shoot that Gabriella had a background in dancing. It quickly became very apparent.
We also had Gabriella wrangle a burger.
Special thanks to Fat Jack's (and Bobbi Jo) for providing good looking (and dang good tasting) burgers. If you're in Salt Lake City, give them a try!
Fun fact: the light in the lamp is not from a lightbulb, but from a wireless camera flash that Mike rigged up inside of the lamp shade.
We had a total of four wardrobe changes, and two different hairstyles, all in four hours (and only three hours of shooting).
Here are some behind the scenes photos (taken by me, not Mike, so you may (will?) notice a lower quality).
You can see Mike's camera set up here. It's tethered to his laptop so that he can instantly review each photo and make adjustments for the next one.
Joseph, our shoot assistant, stood in with the color checker as Mike made some lighting adjustments with the 4-foot floppy (an expandable flag).
We used about 8 different lights, with soft boxes of varying sizes, as well as umbrellas, all with a white paper backdrop.
Special thanks additionally to Nicole, our makeup and hair artist. We had a blast with this shoot and are very happy with the results!
Photographer: Mike Pomazal
Studio Manager: Todd Workman
Shoot Assistant: Joseph McClatchy
Model: Gabriella Braun
Hair and Makeup Artist: Nicole Robie
We have a new backdrop. And yes, it came from Serbia. To be honest, we were a little hesitant to try the Unique Backdrops out, but the backdrop arrived without problems and has surpassed our expectations. It is high quality but at a much lower price than other professional backdrops. Check them out at their website unique-backdrops.com.
Here is the backdrop in all of it's glory. (Forgive the sunlight; our studio manager is vertically challenged).
This backdrop is a medium level texture. (Mm, mm, texture!).
We have officially moved in to our new studio space! The studio is in downtown Salt Lake City. We are very excited about it. It's just the right amount of space for shoots, and has a make-up/prep room, and an office as well. We are even sharing the building with an ad agency. They are great neighbors and have helped us feel at home.
The main studio space, complete with floors, walls, and comfy chairs.
Our office, where the magic of administration, editing, and wheely chairs happens.
On the right is the office. On the left is our make-up/wardrobe/prep room.
