So You Wanna Go Pro?

Model portfolio shoot for Natascha

Although I am writing this article as a photographer, it applies to any vocational change where we have to consider whether turning our passion into a job makes sense. Obviously for some, making sense doesn’t matter, but for many others it’s a ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ call. You either shudder and turn your interest towards a different (possibly more lucrative) outlet, or you rub your hands together and say ‘right, let’s do this thing!’ I did the latter, but made some serious mistakes along the way, the first of which had to do with cash. So, let’s take a quick look at finances in that case.

Trigger Trap Review posted

I have just finished reviewing the Trigger Trap cable and app and posted it to this link. For a very quick summary: just go and get one. This is a fantastic addition to any gearbag. Although I have a few quibbles with the basic workings of the Trigger Trap, I have to say that it hasn't been left behind on a single shoot since I acquired one. In fact, I liked it so much I bought my own after being loaned one by the Sunshine Company. Read the review for more details.

Sirui and BlackRapid Reviews

After several workshops including last year's fantastic Composing The Dunes workshop in Namibia, I have finally been buckling down to finishing up some gear reviews. There are still a few more to comr through, but for the time being the Sirui M3204x tripod, Sirui G20Kx ballhead and BlackRapid Backpack Strap reviews are now online (click on the links to go to the relevant reviews). 

Looking Ahead - The (Equipment) Year in Review

2014 was something of a whirlwind year for many people. But isn’t every year the same in that sense? It  was not the year for earth-shattering equipment announcements however, but there were several cameras that emerged that give us a firmer idea of the future of photographic equipment. I read with interest Kevin Raber’s comment on Luminous-Landscape that the Fujifilm XT-1 was the camera of the year for him. Announced at the beginning of the year this small APS-C sensor camera made some substantial waves with its birth. So much so that it is the first camera I have ever bought within the first few months of its announcement. Several photographers that I know who have played with my copy, have ended up going out and buying their own. To my mind, it is the epitome of the smaller, lighter, faster future.