Custer County Aerial, June 20, 2008

Aerial view over Custer County, South Dakota, June 2008. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

I was excited to have an opportunity to photograph from a helicopter, and took a few interesting photos in spite of the high angle of the sun, which reduces shadows on the ground that might reveal the texture and character of the terrain more effectively. In this light, you have to look for more elements with more obvious contrast. I like the combination of straight lines and curves created by the Cheyenne River, and repeated in a less organic way by the cleanly divided field.

Sunset over Cherry County, July 3, 2008

Sunset over Highway 20 in Cherry County, Nebraska, July 2008. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

While driving on Highway 20, I was taken by an irresistible impulse to photograph the sunset. There was enough haze in the air to dim the sun at its low angle. I adjusted the tones to open up the shadows. This is a single-point perspective arrangement, and I always like being able to throw in some power lines marching into the distance. The water tower and radio tower on the right create the balancing elements. I like the yellow-orange gradient across the sun.

Remote Triggers

Part of the fun of working with off-camera lights is figuring out how to trigger them. I started, like everybody else, by messing about with sync cables, even going so far as setting up a Y-connection with a bunch of BNC connectors. It worked without a hitch; the real problem was the trip hazard that much cable created.

So the next step is radio triggers! I am currently using the now-discontinued AlienBees RFT1 system, which is great for the price, but one of the receivers has been unreliable lately. This is apparently not uncommon, because AlienBees now sells a "new and improved" CyberSync system, which also costs a bit more. They do well, though, because you can get back the full cost of you RFT1 system, making the transition more bearable.

Whatever the pluses and minuses may be of this system's reliability, its real weakness is compatibility with other flashes. See, the receivers are AC-only, so only useful with AlienBees lights or similar.

My next step, then, is to take the plunge and start buying Pocket Wizards. Sure, they cost several times as much as the Bees system, but they're portable and, in my experience, ultra-reliable. I will start with the Plus II model and go from there.

The other remote trigger I use is the Phottix Cleon, which I bought from a Hong Kong company off eBay. This is a combination wired and remote release, and it works like a charm -- except that the radio release interferes with my RFT1 triggers, another reason to go for the Wizards. My primary use of this is as a wired release for long exposures, so whatever works or doesn't work with the radio release is less important.

The Ring Flash Repository

The effects of a ring flash are rather in vogue right now. It used to be that only macro and the occasional fashion photographers needed ring lights. But thanks to Dave Hill and his signature wraparound style, we all want to be cool hard light photographers. And so, many people have worked up do-it-yourself ring lights, because $400 for an ABR800 is a bit much, not to mention you need a large battery to make it portable.
Here are just a few links to the do-it-yourself models.

• David X. Tejada has put together a nice and portable unit with the help of a salad bowl, some ducting, two feet of dental floss and a paper clip.


• David Hobby went large scale with his multi-light setup, which is probably not designed to be used around the easily frightened.


• Paul Duncan put together the simplest design, which works well in the studio.

Duncan's ring light is the only one I have tried so far because the other two require parts that I don't have around the house. I plan to try Tejada's next, though I will probably form the base from a bit of steel instead of buying a flex arm.

DT gear videos

David X. Tejada is an annual report photographer who takes great pains to organize his gear. And he's nice enough to share the videos with the rest of us! These are some gear videos he's made.

• This shows his portable DVD player in use as a larger preview screen.


• The first of three videos on camera gear he took to a location shoot at a quarry.


• The second video shows the lighting equipment he took.


• The third shows the miscellaneous equipment, including spare fleece jackets to add a splash of color if needed.

What's That on Highway 20, March 6, 2008

 

Smoke billows from a plant on Highway 20 in Pierce County, Nebraska, March 2008. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Ticket booth from the drive-in theatre in Brown County, Nebraska, March 2008. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

A building that was part of a drive-in theatre stands empty off Highway 20 in Brown County, Nebraska, March 2008. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

Abandoned Drive-In, March 6, 2008

A building that was part of a drive-in theatre stands abandoned off Highway 20 in Brown County, Nebraska, March 2008. (Photo by Daniel Binkard)

The drive-in movie screen eventually disappeared completely, but for a long time you could drive past this on Highway 20 and see a bygone era. This would have been the snack stand or bathrooms or projection booth or all of the above, now shown in stark black and white with some nice clouds across the sky. Once again we have a triangular arrangement of elements to strengthen the structure of the composition, with the tree providing a path from ground to sky.