First of all, let me apologize for that title.  I sat here thinking for a good 20 minutes of something better, less cheesy, and sans the obvious pun – finally I decided it truly wasn’t worth my time.  Deal with it folks!

Last Thursday was the Chinese Lantern Festival.  In the past, the Lantern festival has been my favorite of the many festivals here in China.  I remember my past outings being a cultural and photographic field day – 6 different minorities flooding the streets happyily with paper lanterns in hand.  I was excited to get to cover it again and had a shot list in mind that I was hoping to walk away with.

Long story short, none of it really happened. None of the shots I wanted panned out – not even close.  There were hardly any lanterns this year, which was disapointing for a festival that goes by this name.  Furthermore, I had a huge finger print on one of my lenses like 15 minutes after cleaning them all that I didn’t notice.  I knew well before going home that I most likely wasn’t going to be happy with my images, which certainly was the case.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m intrigued by a few shots but out of the 500+ frames I shot very few would be described with the word ‘like’.

None of the expectations were met – at all.

Nonetheless, I tried to roll with the punches and have a good time, which seems kinda hard for us photographers.  The shots aren’t going to show up in any books by any stretch of the imagination and I probably won’t spend much more time sorting through the images.  It is what it is.  All that to say, if it all goes to pot and none of your expectations are being met try to just enjoy yourself as a human being.  Sometimes, probably most of the time, things don’t go our way.  It’s ok when everything falls through and I’d be willing to bet that once the dust settles that there are more good shots in the bunch than you expected.  Beyond that, I enjoyed capturing the culture of this festival at face value – it really is a fun festival despite the photographer in me trying to ruin it.

It’s always a hard lesson for me to remember to enjoy myself despite all of it.

About three months ago I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the smallest of Think Tank’s new Retrospective line – the Retrospective 10.  The Retrospective line is Think Tank’s new shoulder bag line that aims to help photographers “…blend in with the crowd and remain inconspicuous in any situation.”  The Retrospective line further boasts that the Retrospective line “[has the] look and feel of ‘old school’ camera bags infused with ‘new-school’ features in technology…”

As a photographer who lives with the people I photograph, I was eager to review this bag from the viewpoint of “Will it help me look like less intimidating as a photographer?” So let’s get started.

Just the facts

The Retrospective 10 is the smallest of Think Tanks Retrospective bags.

The Retrospective 10’s features are listed below(straight from Think Tank’s catalog):

• Inside Specs:  12″x 9.5″ x6″
• Outside Specs: 13″ x 10.5″ x 7″
• Minimalist outer appearance conceals expensive photo equipment
• Carries a pro size DSLR with zoom lens attached
• Accommodates up to a 70-200 f2.8 lens
• Organizer pocket built into main compartment for pens, note pad, batteries, etc
• Seam sealed rain cover included for protection against the elements
• Soft, adjustable shoulder strap with cushioned non-slip pad
• Hook & Loop “Sound Silencers” on the front flap eliminate noise while opening bag
• Side pockets and side webbing loops carrying for additional accessories
• Clear busines card holder and removable carrying handle

THE GOOD

The Retrospect 10 has a lot going for it.

The Look – First things first, it’s a gorgeous bag.  Both the pinestone and the black models are excellent looking bags – so much so that I’ve found it hard to pry them out of my wife’s hands.  People are surprised to see me pull a camera out of it, and that’s kind of the point.  I’ve taken the black Retrospective 10 to business meetings and then in the same day gone out and used it as my primary camera bag. Both the Pinestone and the Black Poly are versatile enough for me to be comfortable in a business setting as well as sitting in a nomads tent drinking butter tea.  Not having to think about if my bag is appropriate or not is a pretty big relief.

Convenience – There are more than enough places for your gear to go.  Per usual, Think Tank has spent their time actually considering what it’s like to use a camera bag.  I had the bag set up with two main compartments but the added velcro sides allowed for three if you felt you could use it that way.  I’ve actually used the “Sound Silencers” more than I thought in intimate settings and it’s convenient to not be making all kinds of noise.  The huge (relatively) front pocket was perfect for my notebook and iPad and then tossing other things into it that I didn’t have time to store while out shooting.

Size & Packing – I definitely overpacked it the first time I used it.  I found myself trying to make the bag more than it was – but space is space. There’s no doubt that it’s a ’small’ bag – but it’s conveniently built enough to fit a lot of things into it, which can turn into a bit of a logistical challenge.  My first outing with the Retrospective 10 I carried the following gear:

• Nikon D90 w/ battery grip (my smallest body)
• Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8
• Sigma 18-50mm f 2.8
• Nikkor 35mm f 1.8
• Nikon SB28 flash
• Flip HD video camera
• Multitool
• Extra camera battery
• Iphone, sizable notepad, blower, lenspen, pens, pencil

Though hauling around that much gear didn’t feel awkward the bags sweet spot is definitely with less gear that this.  I usually leave the flash and 35mm lens at home and use a D700 rather than the D90.  The Retrospective 10 really shines with smaller amounts of gear.  Furthermore, and iPad fits perfectly in the front pocket! It’s a great bag from travelling light and fast.

Comfort – The Retrospective 10 is the most comfortable shoulder bag that I own – hands down. It hugs the body very very well and never really slides off the shoulder and slings around.  Moving around and being active with this bag is no problem at all.  The strap is very wide and super comfortable as well – I hate thin straps that tear into my shoulder, don’t you?  Using the Retrospective 10 has made my other satchels and shoulder bags that I never thought were uncomfortable feel awkward, which I’m not entirely happy about.

Durability – It’s tough.  I really don’t have any concern about taking this bag anywhere and being pretty rought with it, like I am with all my gear.  The canvas sides provide pretty good protection but it’s not thick enough to go bashing the thing all over the place and expect your gear to be fine (who does that, anyways?!)

Getting it stolen – It doesn’t look like a camera bag – this is a huge selling point for me.  Where I live having a camera bag that looks like a camera bag screams “Rich foreigner tourist!  Come steal my stuff.”  Because I’m not rich, I like to avoid having my stuff stolen.  Like I mentioned earlier, people are usually surprised to find out its a camera bag.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD

There are only a handful of things on the Retrospective 10 that I would consider to be slightly …not-so-good.

“Eats my gear” – First, the canvas doesn’t provide much shape/form to the Retrospective 10.  The bag tends to ’swallow’ my gear.  Even with a light load I noticed that the bag would cinch around my camera body and my 70-200, making it a bit more hassle to get out than I’m used to.  Rearranging gear seemed to alleviate the problem but not entirely.

Too Many Options - There are a serious amount of pockets and storage for this small of a bag. Why is that a not-so-good thing?  Here’s why. You look into the bag and think to yourself “That’s an excellent place for a flash!” and so you shove a flash in, which in turn reduces the space in another part of the bag – duh.  However, having that many pockets makes idiots like me want to load them full of stuff.  This is probably one of the better ‘problems’ to have with a bag.  That being said, for my personal preference I could have used less dedicated pockets and nooks and crannies – just space.  Like I mentioned earlier I found myself using the big front pocket more than anything else.  For my use, It just feels like there is a lot of extra stuff packed into the Retrospective 10 – some will find it extremely useful and others, like me, will kinda wish it wasn’t there.  This is an easy problem to solve though – buy the Retrospective 20 or 30.

DOES IT HELP?

On to the real reason for reviewing this bag;  Is it less intimidating?

Let me start by saying if you are looking for something that’s going to allow you to be completely covert, inconspicuous, and avoid your subject(s), this bag isn’t it – no bag will do that for you.  As good as the Retrospective 10 is for taking some of the edge off, it’s no crutch for those wanting to simply avoid cultural encounters and not respectfully engage people photographically.

Now that that’s out of the way – I’ve noticed that the Retrospective 10 style doestake a few bricks out of the cultural walls that can be put up where I live.  The Retrospect 10 allows me to approach people without them immediately associating me with all the bad culturally insensitive photographers they have trampled through this area in the past.  A bag that helps me approach people on a human level first without the stigma of all the photographic gear is a good thing.  However, it’s not a magic bullet and it’s no substitute for being culturally respectful and sensitive.

On a further note, I have been able to use this bag while in America and purposefully noticed some of the same benefits.  For the sake of reading, please feel free to insert any culture into the scenarios I presented above since annoying photographers exist everywhere, right?

CONCLUSION

In short, the Retrospective 10 is an excellent bag for what it is – a small bag.  If you are wanting to use more gear, the bag will be too small and you will be frustrated.  However, if you are looking for a very comfortable bag that you can carry a small amount of gear I wouldn’t hesitate to add this bag to your gear list.  The pros highly outweigh the cons for me, which is apparent since I use the bag daily.

As far as what Think Tank made it for – a bag that helps you blend into the crowd – the Retrospective 10 is a something to consider.  I’ve found it very useful for not exacerbating the stigma of annoying and rude photographers in cultural settings – or in any setting.  If you are looking for a bag that allows you to easily throw the camera in with a few extra lenses among other things, the Retrospective 10 is an excellent option.

**Think Tank was generous enough to offer us a code to get free gear w/ Think Tank product purchases.  Click here for more details or use the code AP-403 at checkout.

Todays Tech Tuesday is all about lighting.

Let me start by saying that there are some travel photographers that won’t go near artificial lighting – I am not one of those.  I’m not discriminating between those who use artificial light and those who don’t.  I don’t really draw a strong distinction between the two, other than to say I love natural light just as much as I love lighting setups in many ways – it just happens to be the lighting setups that get my blood rushing and make me excited about being a photographer.  If you are one of the strictly natural light guys, no worries – unfortunately you might not get much out of this post other than maybe some information you can store away for when you do pick up a strobe,.

Moving on…

Over the last month I’ve been asked several times about what lighting setups I use while I’m on the field.

Here is my typical field setup.

Just a quick list of what you see above

1. 2x Westcott 43″ convertible umbrellas (here)
2. 2x multiclamps w/ shoe mounts (here)
3. 2x Nikon sb-24’s (here)
4. 2x Manfrotto Nano Portable light stands (here)
5. 1x Paul C. Buff CyberSync Trigger Controller (here)
6. 2x Paul C. Buff CyberSync Trigger Receiver (here)
7. 1/8th gridspot (here)
8. Lightsphere, rechargeable batteries, red bungie things, tape

The real beauty of this setup is in the fact that it takes up very little space in my bag and it was super cheap compared to most setups.  I’ve taken this exact setup all over SE Asia without thinking twice.  If you’re setup is too big or you have the mental conversation about “should I take it or not” , you probably wont take it, and in my opinion, the setup is too big for you to easily get out, set up, and capture a killer shot if the situation arises.  Food for thought:  It took me less than 3 minutes to get this shot from having nothing setup – here’s what I got. The setup can be seen here.

A closer look after the break…

1. 2x Westcott 43″ convertible umbrellas

First, this is no octabank, softbox, or even a large light modifier.  You aren’t going to get that super super soft and flattering light from these little guys, but hey, we are going for transportability and the 43″ seems to be the middle road between quality and size – and honestly, the qualities really not that bad.  These pack down very small and will fit in any decent sized camera bag and will even fit into some satchels.  One thing about the convertibles – you will noticed I’ve gotten rid of the cover that makes it into a bounce umbrella.  Why?  I lost them on the field.  I prefer the shoot through because it’s one less thing to put on, forget, or break – remember, the ability to get this thing setup asap is going to play a lot into being able to pull of these kinds of shots on the field.

2.  2x multiclamps w/ shoe mounts

You just have to have these.  This is actually maybe the most awkward part of the setup as far as packing goes.  The reason for that lies in the fact that these material used on these is small but because of the levers it actually ends up taking a bit of space and being just bulky.  Nonetheless, you have to have these unless you plan on taping the light to the stand – which is not advised.

3. 2x Nikon sb-24’s – The actual flashes

I already know what a few of you are thinking – “Why is he using those old flashes?!”  Lot’s of reasons.  Firstly, I paid $80 USD for these killer flashes just over a year ago.  They get awesome reviews.  They are cheap, strong as a rock, easy to rebuild, have easily accessible pc sync port(s) and are incredibly easy to use.  Plus, they have been around forever  The full manual controls force someone who is just starting off to learn their flash rules rather than just relying on iTTL right out of the gate – which is important.  Plus my buddy Zack would kill me.  Most of all, if I break both of them in one day, I’m out $200 USD rather than breaking one sb0-900 that would cost me over twice as much.  Simplicity is key here. **the sb-24’s are actually difficult to find now, thanks to The Strobist blog review – your best bet is second hand through Adorama or B&H

4. 2x Manfrotto Nano Portable light stands

I can’t give these stands enough praise.  They are light and tough as nails.  I’ve had these stepped on, trampled by yaks, and consistently thrown around and they have taken the beating w/o any problems at all.  A drawback is that these will definitely have to be held up in any sort of wind and their max height is about 1.9 meters.  I can get it to around 2.2 meters, but it’s pretty unstable at that point.  Nonetheless, these things are amazing for what they do and how easy they are to transport and setup.  Manfrotto knows what’s going on and they made an incredible light stand for travelling photographers.

5.  Paul C. Buff CyberSync Triggers and Controllers

I’m going to cover the Paul C. Buff products together.  Let me start on this one by saying that there are just about a billion triggers and controller systems out there – I’m not saying these are the best by any stretch of the imagination.  However, I knowingly chose the CyberSyncs for a few reasons.  Anyone familiar with Paul C. Buff products can vouch for their exceptional customer service.  In short, I needed a company that wouldn’t give me fits about replacing something (most of the time for free) and shipping it overseas.  In addition, these things are cheap, small, and incredibly reliable.  For the price of one Pocket Wizard item (receiver or transmitter) you could buy an entire remote setup from good ol’ Paul C.  Granted Pocket Wizards are truly awesome, it would be hard to justify taking them where I go and replacing them would put a serious dent in my budget.

6.  1/8th gridspot

This product is a nice little gridspot with velcro that you can attach to the head of your strobe.  Small, light, made of plastic so it won’t break.  Great to have in the bag and one that goes with me just about everywhere.  If you aren’t familiar with why you should have a gridspot, check out these links:

• Strobist on gridspots
• How to use a gridspot

7.  Fong Dong, tape, rechargeable batteries, bungies, etc

• Gary Fong Light Sphere – Everyone is probably familiar with the Fong Dong – creates beautiful soft light from an on camera flash (here)
• Tape – Always gotta have it.  That’s all.
• Batteries – I take tons of Chinese batteries along with me, but these seem to actually last longer.  Pretty generic.
• Bungee cords – These rock.  I use them to attach just about everything to just about everything else (here)

I hope that helps answer some of the questions that have been coming in lately.  I took just a few reference shots for you guys – they are all listed below.  Basically all my lit work is with a similar setup, so you can see the versatility that comes with it – not all of these are “travel photog” shots – but you get the point.  The great thing about this is that it’s light, fast, and cheap.

]]> http://www.brianhirschy.com/mobile-lighting-for-travel-photography/feed/ 8 http://www.brianhirschy.com/in-the-mean-time/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-the-mean-time http://www.brianhirschy.com/in-the-mean-time/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 13:30:58 +0000 bhirschy http://www.brianhirschy.com/?p=656 As you have already gathered, the last three weeks have been insane.  If you aren’t aware of why, go here and read the whole thing (or check out what The Digital Trekker has to say).  Nonetheless, it’s always theroputic to run out on the street during the busy days and snap a few shots around town as stress relief.

Some of my favorites below were taken right outside our office here.  The complex we office out of is predominantly people from Yushu.  Because of the earthquake, the butter candles were lit every single night, which made for a photo opportunity that even someone sleep depraved as myself couldn’t miss.

So what was it about a camera that even made you/me/us pick it up in the first place?

Seriously.  Think about it.

That simple question has been running through my head all day.  It made me think about this old Canon body that my dad used to have in our closet.  I couldn’t tell you how old this thing was, or the last time it had been used before I found it.  It was old enough that the smell of the leather case it had been kept in for all those years had permeated the entire camera.  When I was probably 9 years old I would go around the house winding that thing up and taking shots without any film in it just because I knew  it had to be the coolest thing in our house – it really was a cool camera and I really loved the noise of the mirror flapping up and down.  I liked the sheer look of the thing – It was rugged as all get out but I knew it was for making something beautiful.  At that time I’m not sure it had much to do with creating beautiful images – though I do wish I had the shots from when my father would sneak film into it to surprise me.

As a kid I’m sure my love for the camera mostly came from my perception of it as being a high-tech toy that made one of the most beautiful noises I’d ever heard.  As an adult, through a long process, it obviously came much more than that.  The backstory is for another day.

So here’s the question again.

Why photography?  What made us pick up a camera for the first time and then keep picking it up time and time again?

I know for me its a combination of art and science.  I’ve always been “artsy” and if I think about it, the camera was really never far away my whole life.   I was always drawn to creating beauty but at the same time this scientific, numbers-driven, concrete stuff.  I’ll always remember creating those first intentional images and feeling the rush when you saw them – wanting to know what would happen if you tried this or that – what numbers needed to be changed to make this more beautiful.  The shape, the feel, and the technology of the whole thing obviously attracted me and I bet if many of us were honest, we picked up a camera for the first time because the technology is just plain cool.  It’s a sexy machine.

The sticking power of photography came from the experiences I had behind it – freezing emotions, events, and people.  I keep picking up the camera because I know that each and every time I do, it teaches me something new about it, humbles me, amazes me, and all the while encourages me to keep going.  I absolutly love the images – the moments – a picture allows me to create.  There is no doubt that we all could fill an entire blogs with the question “Why.”

So with that I open this question up to you.  Let us know why you started and what makes it more than just pointing a lens and pushing a button for you?  Why not something else?  We have a million things that we could occupy ourselves with, but why do we keep coming back to this?  Every story is different and I’m sure we all have our reasons – so lets here them!

And just fyi, as an adult, I still think the mirror flap and shutter are among the most beautiful noises I’ve ever heard.