{"id":32357,"date":"2015-12-15T00:57:46","date_gmt":"2015-12-15T04:57:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=32357"},"modified":"2018-12-19T00:06:31","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T04:06:31","slug":"best-photography-purchases-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/best-photography-purchases-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Best photography purchases of 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Best photography purchases of 2015<\/h1>\n

Last\u00a0year’s post on the\u00a0best (and\u00a0worst) photography purchases<\/a>\u00a0turned out to be quite popular. So many responses! Some needed\u00a0to vent a bit, and also declare their love for favorite pieces of photo gear.\u00a0In the same way, looking back over this past year, I’m sure you too are happy with some of your purchases, but inevitably, there will also be\u00a0those purchases you\u00a0regret.<\/p>\n

For myself, this was the year I decided I was going to calm down a bit with buying new gear – but then, plans change. Looking towards expanding what I do,\u00a0I had to acquire some more gear to enable these new directions. I know, I know, you’re just going to tell me that I was justifying it for myself … but really, I needed all the new stuff I bought! Really. In fact, I’m happy with most of my purchases this year. Here’s my list of best purchases,\u00a0along with some tentative purchases – gear that will potentially open up new avenues for me.<\/p>\n

Add yours to the list of Best \/ Worst Photo related purchases, by posting in the comments section. What photo gear did you acquire which you believe will make a difference to your photography and your business in the upcoming years?<\/p>\n

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Let’s hear from you:<\/h2>\n

Let us know what photo-related goodies you bought this year which you loved, and those you didn’t love\u00a0as much. Which of them do you think will make a difference to your photography and your business.<\/p>\n

To make it interesting, this book on portrait photography was the\u00a0prize for one lucky winner.\u00a0<\/span>Entries closed on Wednesday\u00a029th Dec. Chris with entry #7<\/a> drew the lucky number.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though this contest has closed, please add your comments – we would all love to hear:<\/p>\n

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Faces: the Art of Portraiture<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

This comprehensive book on portrait photography<\/a>,\u00a0contains stunning images. Each image is paired with a lighting diagram, a description of why the type of image was chosen, and then takes you through post-production to put the finishing touches on.<\/p>\n

There is a wide breadth of portraits — from street shots to studio shots. The emphasis is on the the techniques used to photograph these striking portraits – all the how-to when it comes to\u00a0composition, posing, lighting, and even legal and model info.<\/p>\n

If you are curious about the premise of this book, you can order it through\u00a0Amazon USA<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Amazon UK<\/a>.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

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My\u00a0best photography purchases for 2015<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Many of my purchases this year hinged on new directions that I want to explore with my photography work\u00a0– time-lapse photography, video, and product photography.\u00a0They are quite diverse areas – all\u00a0still propelled by my curiosity about photography and learning more about what this medium is capable of.<\/p>\n

I felt I made really good decisions for the most part this year, with nothing I could really say was a bad buy. Pretty much everything was bought\u00a0with a clear motive.<\/p>\n

The only transitional purchase was\u00a0to side-grade my Fuji X100s for a Fuji X-E2, which I am now selling<\/a> with my eye on one of the Sony A7-series cameras. What draws me there is the absolutely silent shutter of the Sony a7R II<\/a> (affiliate<\/em>). That silent shutter feature is something that is so necessary with quiet events. I cringe every time I photograph a\u00a0corporate\u00a0event and my Nikon D4 shutter trips. It’s so loud! So don’t be surprised if there is a Sony system in my 2016 future!<\/p>\n

Some of the items I bought, weren’t new to me, but rather\u00a0gear which helps me maintain what I am doing, or improve what I am doing, such as:
\n– a fifth Profoto D1<\/a> flash for the studio
\n– a second Profoto B1 flash<\/a> because they are so easy to use. If ever I had to revert to a back-up during a shoot, using a bunch of speed lights suddenly would’ve been a pain. So I got a second B1. It just seemed necessary.<\/p>\n

Here is my list of a few choice items that I purchased this year that helped me … followed by a description of some of the gear that I bought with the intention of future expansion of my photography work.<\/p>\n

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Magmod gel kit and grids<\/span><\/h3>\n

The MagMod flash modifier set impressed me with how easy it was to add a grid or a gel, or swap it out again. Magnets!<\/p>\n

The photo right at the top of this pageshows the setup, with a slaved speedlight lighting up the background. The color changes depending on which gel I have on the speedlight. (The back wall is grey, which helps.)<\/p>\n

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With magnets holding the items together, it is super-quick to change out gels, or add a grid – all to control your speedlight’s output and the spread of light. You literally just place the grid or gel, and the magnets snap it into place – and keep it there. Simple as that.<\/p>\n