LCD4Video SB-60 Collapsible Speedlight Softbox Kit - 24" I love a bargain.  Who wouldn't?  If you have read some of my previous posts you know how much I love eBay. I recently received an email from a member informing me of a sale at ProCam.com on a strobist style softboxes (shown here from the seller's web site). You know, the kind that folds up nicely and fit on your speedlights. They are great for off-camera lighting. Of course I had to order a set. I have three speedlights in my arsenal but only one portable softbox between them--I had bought a similar one a while back on eBay for about $40 and I love it--so a couple more would complete my set. The ones on sale were listed as originally being $79.95. Of course I chuckled to myself at that price knowing that it was grossly over inflated. But I figured that at $20 bucks I couldn't go wrong. I actually received my order very quickly. I was surprised and delighted since I had a photo shoot that weekend I...

American Photography Magazine, along with Sigma Corporation, hosted their annual Model Shoot in New York City this past Saturday. The event opened with registration at 8am and continued until the modeling lights were shut down at 4pm. It made for a long, exhausting day of shooting that was by far one of the most fun experiences I've had. It was also a frustrating experience. It was fun and exciting because I had the opportunity to shoot New York models in New York. Not that being New York models or taking photos in New York somehow make the models or the photos any better. Frankly, they weren't any more professional or beautiful than models I have shot here in Connecticut. However, I do love getting into the city and for me, personally, that was one of the reasons for attending this event.

I'm not one to brag about a product unless that product blows me away somehow. Those who know me also know I am not easily impressed. But I have to say, on record, I am throughly impressed by my new little compact camera; Fujifilm's FinePix F505EXR. I have never owned a compact camera, ever. In the film days when 120mm cameras were all the rage I lugged around my Canon AE-1 program. When I made the transition to digital I went with the larger Kodak EasyShare before upgrading to the dSLR system. A more familiar format for myself. So what made me purchase such a small camera, you ask?