What did Santa Claus bring you for the holidays?

[KenElevenShadows]

The other thread is about what you purchased that made you really glad you bought it.

 

This one is about what Santa brought ya!! Anything cool? It can be photography or video-related, accessories, music gear, or anything that brings a smile to your face!

 

[KenElevenShadows]

I received some very warm photography gloves. Those would be gloves with the removable fingers (thumb and two fingers). Seems very useful.

[KuruPrionz]

Prior to the holidays, I was working on setting up a shoot with a model who is also a friend. 

She came over today and we worked on images for a couple of hours. They turned out great and I shot more than I thought I would. 

The .jpg files alone are almost a gb and the RAW files are over 5gb. Will take a while to sort out the best and there are many really good shots. 

It's been a while and apparently I learned something by not doing much. We plan on working together again. 

Very good day for a Monday!!!! 

[Ivan May]

I received the Uriah Heep albums Demons and Wizards, The Magicians Birthday and Wonderworld as Christmas presents.

[KenElevenShadows]

20 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

Prior to the holidays, I was working on setting up a shoot with a model who is also a friend. 

She came over today and we worked on images for a couple of hours. They turned out great and I shot more than I thought I would. 

The .jpg files alone are almost a gb and the RAW files are over 5gb. Will take a while to sort out the best and there are many really good shots. 

It's been a while and apparently I learned something by not doing much. We plan on working together again. 

Very good day for a Monday!!!! 

That seems like a lot of photos! Definitely post them here. I hope you all are happy with them!

18 hours ago, IMMusicRulz said:

I received the Uriah Heep albums Demons and Wizards, The Magicians Birthday and Wonderworld as Christmas presents.

Alright!! I did get Bono's new book, "Surrender", which is interesting so far. That's rather different from Uriah Heep, I realize, but I thought I'd share.  

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

I actually have Demons and Wizards on cassette.....  Maybe it's time to get it on CD?

[KenElevenShadows]

What's a cassette?

[KuruPrionz]

4 hours ago, KenElevenShadows said:

That seems like a lot of photos! Definitely post them here. I hope you all are happy with them!

Alright!! I did get Bono's new book, "Surrender", which is interesting so far. That's rather different from Uriah Heep, I realize, but I thought I'd share.  

I'll post a couple once I do a few very minor tweaks and after she and I have agreed on our favorites. 

It WAS a lot of photos and in a short time. I'd done my homework prior to regarding setting up the images and she just kept on striking good poses and having great expressions so I kept on taking photos. 

 

Since she may not be wearing all of her clothing all the time, I'll probably just post fully dressed images. Not sure this is the place to do otherwise. 

I have a Model Mayhem account, much more lenient there. I love that MPN is pretty "focused" on a particular path that prevents any of us from causing anybody else discomfort. 

[KuruPrionz]

OK, here is one of the images we made. This is straight out of the camera, a Canon 6d with a Tamron 90mm 2.8 macro lens on it. 

I did reduce the size, it was pretty huge. The gift is that I met this lovely woman and we've become friends as well as artistic collaborators. 

Christmas is all year, no?

 

There's a room at the house where I am staying that has nice window light and funky wallpaper. That's where we shot this one. 

[KenElevenShadows]

Oh cool, you used window from a light or is that a softbox? 

[KuruPrionz]

6 minutes ago, KenElevenShadows said:

Oh cool, you used window from a light or is that a softbox? 

It's window light on an overcast day. Perfect for a very fair skinned subject. It was a fun shoot and she really likes the images. 

[KenElevenShadows]

Great to hear! I love lighting from a window, definitely on an overcast day.

[KuruPrionz]

9 hours ago, KenElevenShadows said:

Great to hear! I love lighting from a window, definitely on an overcast day.

I have a couple of powered strobes but I've been wanting to use that light in the room for a while now. 

Sometimes the best things in life ARE free!  When they taught about lighting in college they did not neglect available light. I use it whenever I can. 

My model was amazed that the images turned out so well. I wasn't. We did use my strobes for another set on the shoot. Horses for courses!

[KenElevenShadows]

Well, the angle (side light) and the often diffuse sort of light that comes streaming in from a window is typically very pleasing unless the noon day sun is blasting through. And even then, you can control the light by diffusing it with some curtains anyway. 

 

Not just for people too. I do a lot of my Photofocus photography gear review photos by placing them on a wooden table next to an open window. 

[KuruPrionz]

1 hour ago, KenElevenShadows said:

Well, the angle (side light) and the often diffuse sort of light that comes streaming in from a window is typically very pleasing unless the noon day sun is blasting through. And even then, you can control the light by diffusing it with some curtains anyway. 

 

Not just for people too. I do a lot of my Photofocus photography gear review photos by placing them on a wooden table next to an open window. 

This is a west facing window and we were working on an overcast morning so it was very diffused light. Flattering for any model and also defining shapes through shadows. 

Sometimes in smaller places it can be difficult to control strobes, the bounce gets everywhere and picks up colors that may not be flattering. 

I did do part of the shoot in a larger room with a high ceiling painted white. I bounced the lights off the ceiling and that worked pretty well for the specific look we were after. 

[KenElevenShadows]

If you have relatively white walls or ceiling, bouncing works really well! Glad that came out well too.