Posts in category News

Lensbaby Edge 80 Mini-Review

Mar19
2012 1 Comment Written by KerryG

I am a huge fan of the Lensbaby lenses and I have owned every model since the original version. Each iteration gets better and easier to use and delivers better quality images. When Lensbaby introduced the Optic Swap system, enabling different effects with the same platform, this was a serious game changer. In fact, in order to really see how far I could push the entire Lensbaby system, I shot an entire wedding with the Lensbaby system.

I really believe that the Sweet 35 and Edge 80 have taken the Lensbaby products from being a niche lens into being a professional quality tool.

The latest additions to the Lensbaby family include the Composer Pro, which is an improved version of the Composer offering better movement and locking control. The Sweet 35, which is the first Lensbaby optic with an adjustable aperture and 35mm focal length. The Edge 80 is an 80mm lens with adjustable aperture and built-in extension tube for closeup work.

While I will be doing a complete review of the new products very soon, I wanted to do a quick test and see how well these new optics stake up. Since I had a model at a camera show with me yesterday, I decided to bust out the Edge 80 and see how it would perform. The first thing you should know is that these are manual focus lenses, and this can certainly present a problem when using the small viewfinder and a large aperture. The image below was done at f/5.6 using the Edge 80. The camera settings were ISO 200 and 1/100th Shutter speed.

To really do this image justice, I have cropped into the left eye to show the level of detail. Keep in mind that this was taken at 1/100th and was shot handheld. and not on a tripod.

For being a handheld shot, on manual focus, using the viewfinder, I would say that is some really sharp detail there. To say that my first impressions are good would be quite an understatement. I really believe that the Sweet 35 and Edge 80 have taken the Lensbaby products from being a niche lens into being a professional quality tool. Stay tuned for a more complete review coming soon.

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Kicking the Diet Coke Addiction

Mar09
2012 3 Comments Written by KerryG

1983 was a magical year for me. Not only was it the year I graduated from high school (yes, I realize I just dated myself) but it was also the year that I discovered Diet Coke. We started serving Diet Coke at the Del Taco that I worked at and it was a magical elixir from the Gods. I could now drink as much soda as I wanted and not suck in a single calorie. The Coca-Cola Company obviously had found some magical spring with bubbled forth this fizzy goodness and would forever change my life. Within about a month of replacing Coke with Diet Coke as my go-to drink, I could never drink “regular” Coke or Pepsi again, they just felt too “heavy”.

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Traveling via John Wayne Airport

Jan31
2012 2 Comments Written by KerryG

image
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, I fly around the country fairly often and since I live less than 10 minutes from John Wayne Airport I fly out of there if at all possible. Since I am pretty familiar with the airport now I thought I would share a few tips if you plan on taking a flight out of there.
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GoCast #15 – What’s Wrong With Photography Education

Dec07
2011 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

While I have many friends that are photography instructors and I know many photographers who have moved into doing workshops, seminars, ebooks, and other education formats to try to pay the bills, one of the biggest issues I have is instructors that completely over sell the earning potential for photographers.

The fact is, very few photographers can even pay their bills with their photography business and I actually can’t name a single photographer that I know who makes their sole income from pressing the shutter for their own business. Every photographer I know has to supplement their income with a day job, other types of work, side jobs, or by going down the teaching route.

With clients’ budgets at an all time low, this has become an even bigger issue as the price of jobs has fallen over the past few years. Add to this instructors who are telling aspiring photographers that they can easily make six figures or more or bill weddings at $10,000+ when the average photographer in the US makes $29,000 a year and you have a real recipe for disaster and disappointment.

Listen to this week’s GoCast at CameraDojo.com as I delve deeper into what’s wrong with photography education today and how to make sure your photography education budget is spent wisely.

Posted in Blog, Featured, For Photographers - Tagged , ,

Blackbelt Lighting Products in Pasadena Sun 11/13

Nov12
2011 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

If you are in southern California and looking for great deals on camera gear, be sure and checkout the Bargain Camera Shows that happen every month. This weekend we will be in Pasadena at 400 W. Colorado Blvd selling our Blackbelt Lighting Products. Tickets are only $2.00 so be sure and bring some friends.

Other upcoming dates include:

  • November 27th Buena Park
  • December 11th Pasadena
  • December 18th Buena Park
  • January 8th Pasadena
  • January 22nd Buena Park
  • January 29th San Diego

For more information, check out http://bargaincamerashows.com/

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Kerry Garrison at Los Angeles SmugMug Oct 20th

Oct07
2011 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

Master your lighting using multiple speedlights: with Kerry Garrison

Thursday, October 20, 2011, 6:30 PM

Beverly Garland Holiday Inn
4222 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, CA (map)
Inside Beverly Garland Theatre. Hotel Self-Park to the right for $5.00 or Free Street Parking.

Kerry Garrison will demonstrate working with multiple light sources. He will start with a single speedlite and work up to six speedlites. During this presentation you will learn how to balance lighting, setup hair lights, rim lights, background lights, and more while maintaining a proper exposure.If you are wanting to move into multiple lighting setups, this will be a great primer to get you going and learn how to use different modifiers such as softboxes, snoots, grids, and other accessories to really control your lighting.

For more information: http://www.meetup.com/LASmugMug/events/36546652/

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Ovation CEO Calls Out Sarah Palin

Mar16
2011 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

Some like her, some hate her, but like her or not Sarah Palin has made a name for herself for speaking out on different topics. This time on the Fox “Hannity” show Palin calls for cutting back on the National Endowment of the Arts.

During her interview on the show, Palin said, “NPR, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, all those kind of frivolous things that the government shouldn’t be in the business of funding with tax dollars, those should all be on the chopping block as we talk about the $14 trillion debt that we’re going to hand to our kids and our grandkids. Yes, those are the type of things that, for more than one reason, need to be cut.”

In response, Ovation’s CEO Charles Segars, released the following statement:

“While it’s not surprising that those hungry for constant media attention, like Sarah Palin, would use the misguided words of one former NPR employee as fodder to call the entire organization a mouth piece for the Left, I am surprised that she would go so far as to extend this thinking to the NEA.  She has called the NEA ‘frivolous’ and said it should be cut.  This kind of knee-jerk, uninformed rhetoric is the stuff of cheap-shot campaign commercials.  America’s arts sector is a huge driver of our economy and proposed cuts to the NEA don’t take into account the substantial return on investment those funds generate in tax revenue to local, state and federal treasuries.  Shame on her for turning the arts into partisan politics.  It doesn’t take much creative thinking to work this out.  The Arts are good for America and Americans, and on Arts Advocacy Day April 5 — you’ll hear many more voices join the chorus.”

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What is Kerry Up To? There’s an App for That!

Feb01
2011 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

I know millions of you must not be able to sleep every day without knowing what I am up to (yeah right) so I have developed an app that will show you my latest blog posts, images, and special projects. It’s a free app currently available in the iTunes store (coming soon for Android). Check it out at:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kerry-garrison-photography/id415116218?mt=8&ls=1

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Blackbelt Lighting Products

Dec30
2010 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

If you listen to my podcast or read my articles over at Camera Dojo you know I am  not only a big fan of off-camera lighting, but I am a much bigger fan of doing things on a tight budget. After years of telling people where to find good deals the opportunity came up for me to launch my own product line. I hand picked every piece of equipment to make sure it was absolutely the best value and would work consistently and deliver professional results. In fact, I didn’t even launch the products until I had been using the same exact gear on a daily basis for two full months.

The wireless flash triggers give you about 100 feet of wireless range to position as many lights as you want.  The YN560 flash delivers professional results at a fraction of the name brand equipment.

Wedding and portrait photographers around the country have been snatching these up as fast as we can ship them. In fact, we sell a complete lighting kit which includes THREE flashes, three lightstands, three umbrellas, three receivers, a transmitter, and a reflector for less than the cost of a single Canon 580 EX II!!!

Already have a Canon 580 EX/EX II, Nikon SB-800/SB-900, Fuji, Sony, Olympus, or other name brand flash? The YN560 can be put in optical slave mode and will ignore the TTL pre-flash from your existing flash allowing you to add additional lighting to your existing kit for far less than you would have ever dreamed.

This is the same gear I am now using on a daily basis and many people from amateur to pro are now using too. If you want pro results on a newbie budget, check out my lighting products at http://blackbeltlighting.com.

Posted in Blog

Professional Photobooks Offer an Alternative to Traditional Photo Albums

Nov30
2010 Leave a Comment Written by KerryG

Whether I’m shooting an outdoor wedding in an exclusive Orange County location, am working with a manufacturer to capture their products in the perfect light, or am volunteering my time to take family portraits at my local university’s Veteran’s Appreciation night, I’m always thinking about the finished product. After all, it’s the finished product that the client is interested in—the prints they’ll be able to look at and share with others. For years, photographers have been able to offer our clients prints of various sizes, from portable wallet photos to larger 8 x 10 images suitable for framing and displaying. And having done professional photography for a number of years, it’s been fascinating to see how things have changed. As technology has continued to evolve, we’ve been able to offer our clients a wider variety of finished products to choose from.

One relatively recent addition to the photography market is professional photo books. I’ve found that professional photo books give my clients a really slick alternative to the traditional photo album. Photo books can be used to create a keepsake of your wedding day memories, share your daughter’s first year with her grandparents overseas, or even showcase your product offerings in a unique way.

Available in a variety of sizes, and with a choice of covers (including leather and linen), photobooks are an elegant, long-lasting alternative to traditional photo albums. I can also configure your photobook so it has a special image right on the cover, or can even have a custom imprint added, personalizing your photobook even more.

You can find more information on professional photo books over at Nations Photo Lab, one of my preferred labs for prints, photobooks, enlargements and other photo products. And of course, you can contact me if you have any questions about photobooks or you’re just ready to set up an appointment to discuss your photography needs.

Posted in For Photographers, Weddings / Engagements - Tagged , , ,
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