If you haven’t heard of PhotoVision, you should definitely check it out.

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You’ll see photographic styles and techniques, lighting and posing, workflow, retouching, marketing, sales and business management. Join leading photographers in their actual working environments; see sessions with families, seniors, children, lifestyle, newborns, engagement, relationships, maternity, fashion, infants. Go on location and on actual weddings.

The discs are great, there’s valuable things to be learned in every one. The set normally sells for $199 but if you use the code PVFAN you can get it for just $49! You can sign up for the DVD series here: PhotoVision 2011

Well it isn’t a photography bag per se, but I lined the interior with loop velcro so I could add padded dividers when I want to use it for camera gear. It is made from MIL-SPEC components. The exterior is water resistant 1000D Cordura in ranger green with MARPAT coyote webbing and hardware, which is now one of my favorite colorways! (it looks even better in person) This is my first “messenger bag” and I’m definitely a fan. It’s a great day bag, book bag, gear bag, etc. and the best part is that it doesn’t look like a specific type of bag (like a “camera bag”).

Molle webbing on the front for additional pouches or pen storage and a map pocket on the lid:

A slim pocket on the back and a Klean Kanteen/Nalgene pocket on the side:

Last weekend we took advantage of the nice weather and headed downtown for Justin & Pam’s engagement shoot. It was a gorgeous day, albeit rather chilly, but they were troopers! The wind was brutal though, which wreaked havoc on my off-camera lighting, but I improvised. They’re getting married this September so stay tuned!

I few weeks ago I photographed Aaron and Natalie’s wedding (actually, just the reception) and you wont believe how quickly they planned it. Due to Aaron having to leave for Air Force basic training, they got married TEN MONTHS earlier than expected. They planned it in a week and a half! I’m getting married in June so I know all that goes into a wedding and I think they did a great job.

If you haven’t noticed, I changed the URL of my site. When I first created it, I wasn’t set on a name and to be honest, I’m still not. At least now it’s closer to the name I go by when shooting. People often asked me what ‘ambrotos’ of Ambrotos Photography meant. Ambrotos is Greek for ‘immortal’, which I thought was apropos for photography; every actuation of the shutter cements that one moment in time.

If you don’t have the luxury of a “voice activated light stand” when using off-camera flash, then sand bags are often a necessity, especially when working outdoors. I knew I could make a better sandbag for a lot less than what’s out there, so I did! I also wanted a specific color webbing handle so I created the pattern then had Strapworks.com make me some custom webbing. Pretty sweet, eh? The main material is 1000D Cordura, which is tough as hell, and it’s sewn with #69 bonded nylon mil-spec thread. If you don’t have this thread or your machine can’t handle it, use a heavy duty thread like upholstery thread. I used “washed play sand” from Lowes/Home Depot. One bag of that will provide more than enough sand to complete two of these sandbags.

I always over-engineer my creations, and this was no exception. I made it in a way so that the weight of the sand is supported by the super tough Cordura fabric, and not a seam. However, this made assembly more difficult. The material also got quite thick in spots so I don’t know if a standard domestic machine can handle it. Feel free to try it and report back. If you want a tutorial that’s a little easier to sew, Dale Murray has a nice one. My bag is very similar to his except the sand in mine is inserted at the center instead of the ends. Don’t take this as meaning his is inferior. I don’t think he has ever had a problem with that design, I just wanted to do everything I could to prevent a seam from popping.

In this how-to I will refer to the “right side” and “wrong side” of the fabric. The right side is the outside, the part you see when the product is completed. The wrong side is the inside.

1) Start off with a piece of Cordura about 37″x11″, fold it in half (short end-to-short end) to find the center, then mark it on the right side with something temporary; I use chalk.

2) Then hem each of the short sides. You could also bind it, instead of using a hem: more on that later.

3) Bring the two short edges together so that the wrong sides are showing, meeting at the middle (this is where your mark from step one comes in handy). Sew along each long edge while keeping everything as square as possible. I used a 1/4″ seam allowance.

4) Now “bind” the seam you just sewed. This is where a piece of 1″ webbing is sewn around the edge of the fabric. This creates a more durable seam by adding a second row of stitches and protecting the fabric edges from fraying. Speaking of fraying, always melt the raw ends of webbing/ribbon. A lighter works well for this. Normally I use mil-spec 5038 webbing but for this tutorial I used grosgrain ribbon, which you can get at any fabric store. It’s not as durable as the webbing but it gets the job done. If you don’t have a “binder attachment” for your sewing machine, this part can be a little tricky. You have to make sure you catch each edge (top and bottom) of the binding with your stitches. If it gives you trouble, hot glue it in place, then sew it. Leave a little “tail” at each end.

5) Fold each “tail” over and double/triple-stitch it down.

6) Turn the bag right-side out. It should look like this, with the opening in the middle.

7) At each end of the opening, flatten the material and sew a 2″x1″ square. This makes it easier to sew on the handle.

8 ) Now it’s time for the webbing. The majority of it is on top of the bag but each end of the webbing extends under the bag about 2″. Dale Murray has a diagram that shows this. To prevent any slipping and to make sure the stitching went through the top and bottom layer of webbing evenly, I hot-glued it in place. Then sew a box-X and triple stitch the part closest to the handle portion.

From the Army Field Manual 10-16, General Fabric Repair, here’s how to do a box X (I added the red dot to help clarify where to start). When it’s done, each short end will have been double stitched:

Mine got a little sloppy but I was rushing, and ran out of bobbin thread half way through…

9) Stick a gallon size Ziploc freezer bag into one of the ends of the bag and fill it with sand. A small cup makes transferring the sand easy and mess-free. The size of this sandbag will hold about 7.5 lbs. of sand per side. Once it’s full, seal the Ziploc bag and tuck the excess inside the sandbag.

10) Now run a stitch from one side of the sandbag to the other, sealing off the compartment. This step is a little tricky as you have to make sure the sand and Ziploc bag stay out of the way from the top while making sure the handle loop stays out of the way from underneath. Don’t worry if your stitch line is a little crooked, just make sure you seal the pocket off completely. In the photo below, this step is the left-most diagonal row of stitches.

11) Repeat steps 9 and 10 for the other side.

12) You’re done! Start shooting!

On a collapsible stand I position the sandbag like this, with the bulk of the bag opposite the light modifier:

On a C-stand:

It isn’t a camera bag but it is padded. Since it was the first bag I’d ever made, I used another bag as a model (mainly for dimensions) to help me learn. It took a while to make as there was much trial and error but I’m really happy with how it turned out.

This thing is tough! I used waterproof 1000D cordura for the exterior, 3/8″ Volara® closed-cell foam throughout, #10 YKK coil zippers, and a 420D nylon ripstop liner. It was sewn with #69 bonded nylon mil-spec thread.

I have a 53″ Rotalux that I use for my main light but I wanted another softbox (with grid) to use for rim lighting or when I don’t need something so large. As seen in my other blog posts, I have a 2×3 Amvona softbox, which has already been through two iterations (Mod1, Mod2) so why not go for one more. The third time’s the charm!

However, no one makes a Quadra speed ring, so I had to. The Quadra isn’t designed to support heavy modifiers but luckily, my Amvona softbox connects to the light stand via the main frame/bracket of the softbox, not the strobe.

I should also note that this isn’t as “DIY” as my other posts. Well, it might be for some, but I didn’t have the machinery to make it how I wanted so I had to turn to a pro for a little help.

My first plan was to get a 1″ strip of aluminum (from Lowes), cut the Quadra notches in it, bend it into a circle, then have the welder weld this cylindrical piece to the flange piece (that I would have him make). I made the aluminum piece and it turned out OK, the circle wasn’t quite a circle. I took this to my welder/machinist friend but he recommended we start from scratch using steel. I was game since I knew it would be perfect. They cut the cylindrical and flange pieces out on a laser, then rolled the cylindrical piece into a perfect circle. He welded the two pieces together from the bottom then ground the welds flat.

I then cut out the notches. I first made a template using masking tape and the original Quadra reflector. I lined the edge of the tape up with the edge of the cylindrical part of the reflector (the outer side) and wrapped it around. Then I used an X-Acto knife to cut out the notches, tracing right along the existing notches in the reflector. After that I just transfered the tape to the speed ring and colored in the notches with a Sharpie. Cutting out the metal is easier than you think. For any radiused corners I just used a drill. Then I used a cut-off disc on a Dremel to cut the flat parts and finished it up with a Dremel Tungsten Carbide Cutter (#9903 or 9910). I used the tungsten cutter to cut out the stuff I couldn’t get to with the cutting disc, to deburr, and to round out any sharp corners. Finally, I gave it a quick sanding with 100 grit.

I wiped it down with rubbing alcohol then got ready for paint. I tapped off the inside of the cylindrical part as it was a perfect fit on the strobe and paint would’ve made it too tight of a fit. Also, the paint would just wear off with each use. I primed the speed ring then spray-painted the front part (the part inside the softbox) white, and the back side semi-gloss black. I painted the white part first and let it dry for a few hours so it could sit with this side to the bottom when I painted the back part.

I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!

The Amvona softbox looks puny next to the Rotalux!

As a photographer, I know all about the endless quest to find that perfect camera/accessory bag. Well what if you didn’t have to search for it and could have it made? I haven’t seen any places offer this so I might try to fill that niche, as I already have the tools and materials to do so.

Almost all of my materials are mil-spec, so they’re more than ready for use and abuse. I use 1000 denier Cordura as the main material. It’s an extremely tough nylon that is stronger than canvas at only a little more than half the weight of it. It’s also highly water resistant due to the coating on the backside and the “durable water repellent” applied to the front.

I currently stock four colors: black, MultiCam (genuine Crye Precision), khaki-green, and khaki-tan. The khakis are very close in color, one is just slightly more green than the other. For reference, there is a coyote zipper-tape above the fabrics.

If something needs padding, I use a high quality closed-cell foam: Volara.

No job is too small. I could make a simple sling strap, a pouch for your flash, or a bag for your camera. The possibilities are endless.

So is this a good idea? Share your thoughts. If any of you have an idea for a bag/pouch/accessory that you need and would like to be a “beta” customer, send me a message!

Gels are thin translucent sheets of “plastic” used to alter the color of lights and strobes. They can be used for interesting effects like adding a colored background to a portrait, or to “correct” the lighting when multiple kinds of lights are used. For example, fluorescent lights, incandescent lights and speedlites all operate at different color temperatures. If you make a picture that includes all three, you could get an ugly mix of color-casts on the subject. For example, if you’re making a portrait in an office with lots of fluorescent lighting (and aren’t overpowering the ambient completely), you should add a “plus green” gel to your strobe so that it matches the color of the ambient fluorescent lighting. They also make gels that go around fluorescent tubes (“minus green”) but it’s much easier to just gel your flash.

Another frequently used gel is “color temperature orange” (CTO), which is a warming gel. Sometimes the speedlite output can be too cool (blue), which can look unnatural. One example is a portrait at sunset. Many people use a CTO gel when making a portrait at sunset to remove the cool blue from the flash so that it matches the warm ambient light better.

You used to be able to get free gel swatchbooks directly from Rosco but the demand from strobists was too high so they discontinued that program. Now they offer the Strobist Collection, which can be purchased from
or
. These are nice because they don’t have the hole punched in them like the ones from the swatchbook. If you’d rather have the full swatchbook, you can buy it from Adorama for about $4. However, if you have a theatrical supply store nearby, give them a call/visit. They’ll probably give you some swatchbooks for free. That’s what I did and they were happy to get rid of some. The guy there said the manufactures send them so many that they can’t get rid of them fast enough. I got several swatchbooks from several companies and chose to use the ones from GamColor because they’re longer than the Rosco gels.

I’ve seen many ways to store/organize gels but this is just how I do it. I use a “business card book” (mine is made by Rolodex) from an office supply store. It’s like this one but mine has three slots per page instead of four. It’s a bit overkill in that it can store 36 different colored gels (or 72 if stored back-to-back), which is more than most people need but you can cut out the extra pages to reduce some “bulk”, or fill them with your own business cards perhaps. Even with all of the pages in tact, it’s a pretty slim book and fits into each of my bags nicely. The book measures 4.5″x7.5″ and is only about 1cm thick.

I put three of each gel into each slot because I have multiple speedlites. I also included the info paper behind each set of gels but on some gels it’s hard to read what it says. To make identifying them easier, I added labels to the page. I used Illustrator to create the labels then printed them out on glossy sticker paper made for inkjet printers.

While we’re on the subject of gels, here’s how I attach them to the flash. I made an L-shaped holder out of Lexan. Craig Colvin details it nicely. I didn’t have a “heat strip” so to bend the angles I clamped the lexan in a vice between two pieces of wood and heated it with a heat gun until I could shape each bend, one at a time.

However, if I needed another, I would definitely just purchase one of Craig’s from GelHolder.com. It’s well worth the $10 considering the time it takes to make one.

Tilt-shift lenses have a few specialized uses. For example, they can alter the plane of focus by “tilting.” This can be used to create a sharp focus along something that is not perpendicular to the film/sensor, or to create an interesting depth of field that can’t be achieved with a normal lens. Depending on the subject, this crazy DOF can make a life-size scene appear to be a miniature–pretty cool! The other function of a tilt-shift lens is, you guessed it, “shifting.” This is most commonly used in architectural photography to prevent converging-lines distortion. For a more thorough read on tilt-shift photography, visit the Wiki on it. Read on to see how to make your own.

To get the most out of a tilt-shift lens, you need your lens to project a larger image circle than that of your camera. For example, to make a tilt-shift lens for a 35mm camera (APS-C, et al.), you could use a lens from a medium format camera. I chose a Bronica Zenza 75mm which is a medium format lens. Because it projects a larger image circle than that of a 35mm lens, when tilting and shifting this lens, the effective image circle will still cover the sensor of my dSLR.

To start, I removed the focusing ring and lens mount. It was large, heavy, unnecessary, and removing it made mounting the bellows MUCH easier. I don’t have instructions on this as each lens is different. Start by unscrewing the mount/backing plate. Then you may be able to just unscrew the focusing ring.

Next, you need some kind of bellows. I used a shock boot that I got from a local 4×4 shop, which was only $5. To determine the proper length, in a “clean” environment (i.e., not in a sandstorm) hold the capless lens in front of your capless & lensless camera body while looking through the viewfinder and move it in and out. Look at things near and far to find a good focus spot in the middle of the range. You want to be able to focus on things in close as well as “infinity.”

The next part you need is an M42 extension tube. If you follow the pictures it’s pretty easy to see how it’s attached. It ‘pops’ in and is then secured with a zip-tie. The other end of the bellows just stretches over the focus-ring threads on the lens body. I then used a zip-tie to secure it.

To finish it off, just screw on an M42 to EOS adapter. Since this lens is more like a Lensbaby and not a precise $2,000 Canon TS-E lens, I thought having a functioning autofocus confirmation in-camera would be helpful so I got an M42 to EOS adapter that has an AF confirmation chip. This definitely makes using the lens easier as the smallest movements completely alter the focus, which can be hard to pinpoint using the small viewfinder.

And finally, a photo made using this lens:

Closing notes: Depending on what you photograph, a 75mm lens might be a little long. Eventually, I’d like to make another TS lens using a shorter (wide angle) medium format lens.

I recently upgraded to Elinchrom strobes but speedlights will always have their place. This post is long overdue as I built this beauty dish over a year ago… In an effort to make my speedlites as versatile as possible, I thought a beauty dish would be a nice addition to my collection of light modifiers. The hardest part of this project was finding a suitable bowl for the dish. I found an 18″ wooden bowl at a Ross/TJ Max-type store. I would’ve preferred something a little larger but it was all I could find. It performs better than I expected. If you want something a little larger, halfway through the project I found one: a 30 qt. stainless steel mixing bowl, which can be had for about $20 online.

Materials used:

The bowl I used had concentric ridges all over so to start, I sanded it smooth, front and back. I then drilled three small holes for the mirror standoffs. These holes form a centered triangle with roughly 5″ between each point. In the center of the triangle, I cut out a hole for the head of my speedlite. Once you have the speedlite hole you can start working on the bracket. It’s just a basic “L” with a curve on one side that matches the bowl. On the side of the bracket that touches the bowl, I put a strip of adhesive rubber to help cushion, conform, and prevent scratches. To attach the bracket to the speedlite, I used T-nuts and thumb screws so that it could be removed for easy storage/transport. The spiked T-nuts attach from the front side of the beauty dish. To make it look as nice as possible, I recessed the T-nuts then covered them with wood filler and sanded it smooth before I painted. That way they’re completely invisible from the front.

To attach the bracket to a light stand, I used a little socket/spigot piece that came on one of my Manfroto 001B Nano light stands. I used a cap nut to secure it to the bracket. Then I just use a standard swivel bracket/umbrella adapter with spigot to screw into this socket. To hold a speedlite, I used a cold shoe (I prefer the clamp style).

The heart of a speedlite beauty dish is the deflector. I used a 5″ convex mirror for maximum output, which I got from an auto parts store. I removed the actual mirror from the plastic holder and epoxied it to a circular piece of styrene/plastic. The styrene was cut slightly larger than the mirror, just large enough for a small bolt to pass through and nut to fit without hitting the mirror. The mirror needs to be spaced away from the flash head and for these standoffs, I used the thinnest bolts I could find so they interfered with the light as little as possible. They’re actually allthreads, about 3″ long, that [I think] I found at Home Depot. Since they’re allthreadds (no bolt head), I used cap nuts for the rear and nuts everywhere else (three for each standoff). Use one nut to lock them onto the bowl, then another nut to give the mirror some space, and one final nut to lock the mirror on. After lots of testing, a space of 1.75″ between the bowl and styrene gave me the best results. Zooming the flash output in and out didn’t make much of a difference. Zooming in to 105mm produced a very slightly hotter center.

I also added an extra flat piece of aluminum near the speedlite cold shoe so I could attach a radio receiver via another cold shoe. All bracketry, and the rear of the bowl was painted semi-gloss black. The inside of the bowl was painted white. I coated the thumbscrews in black Plasti-Dip to make them look a little nicer.

The output is very soft with a smooth falloff. I couldn’t be happier with the results considering how little I spent on this project.

I made this portrait of my friend, and fellow photographer, William, for an article in the school paper about elections. The beauty dish was camera-right and the sun was behind and to the right of William.