Bert gives us another neat video of him shooting on location with two small flashes.

Thirteen years ago, Chicago tribune photographer Scott Strazzante began visiting a familiy fam near Lockport. (…) he chronicled the fam’s end. Call it death, if you will. Caill it progress, if you must.

(…)

Last March, after a presentation at the College of DuPage, Strazzante was approached by one of the people in the audience, Amanda Grabenhofer, who lives on what had been the Cagwin farm. She invited him for a visit

The past blend with the present

In the comment section of a previous post, Richard was asking:

How long does it take you to figure out ratios for this type of shot? How many test shots do you do to get to the right one? I assume that all your flashes are on Manual? Camera, too?

Well, by some kind of coincidence, Strobist just wrote a great “what is going on in my head as I take a portrait” post. Enjoy and learn!

A Bombardier 415 (formerly Canadair CL-415) of the A Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) lies in the snow at the Quebec City airport. The 415 is a Canadian amphibious aircraft purpose-built as a water bomber. It is the only aircraft designed and built specifically for aerial firefighting and is based on the company’s CL-215. It is marketed in the USA as the Superscooper.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 1/18000 at f2,8 with a 70-200 at 90mm - ISO 100

The 535 meter long ice track of the Red Bull Crashed ice event, seen here turning around the Fresque des Quebecois mural painting, is almost ready for the event held in Quebec City on January 26. A mix among hockey, downhill skating and boardercross, Crashed ice is a winter extreme sporting event, featuring head-to-head, urban, downhill speed ice hockey skating.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 1/1600 at f4 with a 16-35 at 35mm - ISO 200

Priest Michel Poitras poses in front of some of the items that were brought back last week after a public appeal for their return. The St. Augustin-de-Desmaures Church was robbed in early January of several historic silver pieces. Photo Francis Vachon for The Montreal Gazette.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 1/80 at f6,3 with a 16-35 at 33mm - ISO 250, 3 flashes: One on the right bounced into an umbrella to the silver pieces, one direct flash 45 degree left snooted on his face, one direct flash on 45 degree from subject back left side

A couple of years ago, before I knew I was going to make a living with photography, I was shooting for a small wrestling federation in my hometown of Quebec City. At that time, I was shooting with a Rebel with a kit lens, then with a 20D with a Sigma 24-70. With the Rebel, I was using the pop-up flash, and with the 20D I was using an on-camera 420ex speedlight.

Yesterday was a back in time night for me. There was a special wrestling show held by two wrestler I met at that time, and I asked them to take pictures. This time, I was going to do it with professional equipment, Strobist style.

I put 3 550ex speedlight up on the mezzanine, allowing me to have a nice light at 400 ISO, 1/250 at f2.8 (1/250 is the max sync speed for Canon). You can see the lighting diagram here.

You can compare the pictures below with my “best shot” of my early years. I think the difference is pretty obvious!

Scott Matrix gets back to the locker room at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Michael Style (right) team up with Matt Falco to give Antonio Corsi (left) some pain at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Marko Estrada watches his opponent getting back to the locker room at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008

Damian Steel (right) tries to evade a hold from Giovanni at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008

Sunny War Cloud (left) and Jake Matthews fight at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Giovanni (left) looks on his partner Sunny War Cloud (right) at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Franky The Mobster trash talks his opponent before a fight at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Titus applies a hold on Franky The Mobster at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Roderick Strong waits for his opponent at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Roderick Strong gives some pain to Marko Estrada at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

Despite loosing his match, Marko Estrada is congratulated by the crowd at the “Night of Excellence” wrestling show held at CEGEP de Limoilou January 18, 2008.

And as a little bonus: a time lapse!

Just got my royalty report for the month of December. It is a considerable increase of sales from last month.

A LOT of images sold where of the Bouchard-Taylor commission (God I’m happy I went there without an official assignment from a paper!). Two sleepers slipped in: a BMO building and the ADQ MNAs arriving for their first caucus.

As I was expecting, December was really not a good month for assignment (newsrooms are on lower gear before and during Christmas), so CP saved my month.

Town counselor Jean-Rock Pedneault poses in front of the city Hall of Alma (Quebec), 250km north of Quebec City January 16, 2008. With the death of soldier Richard Renaud, Alma is the latest town saddened by losing one of it’s citizen. Photo Francis Vachon for The Globe and Mail.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 1/250 at f6,3 with a 70-200 at 108mm - ISO 200, direct flash on camera right

Customers get in and out of an IGA grocery store in Alma (Quebec) where soldier Richard Renaud used to work before enrolling with the military. Renaud was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Jan.15. Photo Francis Vachon for The Globe and Mail.
Technical: Canon EOS 20D, 1/200 at f7,1 with a 16-35 at 23mm - ISO 200

Old cannons lined up on rue des Remparts in Quebec City.
Technical: Canon EOS 1D Mark II, 1/200 at f16 with a 70-200 at 165mm - ISO 200