Q39 X-small softbox

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I was inspired by Phil, a.k.a. Pfiltz on DPReview.com with his use of a small softbox for shooting portrait that i bought my own softbox.  I'm not talking about the big one that you see in a studio, everyone know those thing are sweeeeet! and they give off such nice soft light but required a seperate power pack.  The one I'm talking about here is the extra small softbox.  The main reason i choose it was b/c of it portability, it's small enough to be handheld instead of mounting it on a stand. 

In this spontanious shoot, Shelly didn't know she was going to be my first test subject.  She was hesistant at first but after about 10 minutes of laying down my charms, she warm up to the idea.  The shoot lasted about 5 minutes and I got about two dozen frames.  The setting was her new couch (atleast to me since it's my first time seeing it). 

The setup was straight forward.  A canon 580EX on my 5D as Master, a 430EX on the softbox as Slave triggered by the flash's wireless feature.  Camera in my right hand, softbox in my left trying to aim at a 45 degree angle to the subject.  That's basically it!  I finished the photo in photoshop.  I'm still researching on a way to modify the canon off shoe cord from 2ft (although I didn't use it this time) to about 20-25ft for my next shoot.  I want to move back a bit with my 5D so I can use my favorite lens, the 70-200mm f2.8 IS.  At that distance I can't depend on the wireless system to work everytime. 

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For portrait work, I would definitely use it over my LightSphere PJII.  I would still use my Lightsphere for shooting hectic and fast pace weddings.  But if I'm shooting something where I can slow thing down a bit, I'll definitely bring out the softbox. 

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Don't you think she's a natural?  All I did was push the button, the rest is her doing. 

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Here she is about 10mins earlier... not wanting any part of the shoot. 

curling up in her blanket watching tv...
    

Let her know that she made the right decision by participating in my experiment.

More Baby

I was over at my friend Larry's house to borrowed his lawn mower b/c I can't justified owning a mower just to mow a 4' x 10' strip of grass.   Last time I saw Larry and Ngoc, they just had their first child.  About four years later and they surprised me with a little girl.  You know the age kids get when they understand a lot of what you're saying but can't really talk back to you?  Yep, she is at that age.... so adorable.  Anyway, after we loaded the mower into my car, they had a x-mas brunch meeting with grandma, which explained ther candycane outfits.  While we waited for his wife to come outside, i grab my camera and took a few quick snaps.  I sent them the pictures later in the day, b/c mowing only takes about 10 mins, they loved it and wanted me to take their family portrait when spring rolled around.  How do i break it to them that i only shoot wedding?    j/k .  Part of being a good wedding photographer is that you have to be a good portrait photographer too.   I  guess we have to wait till spring to find out how this story end. 

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Oh, by the way - the answer to the January 2 post is.... Enron!

Baby, Baby!

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What a difference a few years make.  Back then I was living and working in Houston and most of my friends are single and only a handful is married.  When I visit them again over the holiday, most are either married or married with babies!  I guess that's a good thing.  At least now, we devoted our time to something or someone else beside ourselves.  It's a good sign that we're maturing.

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This is Tam + Bao Anh, you probably recognized them from their baby shower slideshow a few entries back.  This is Brandon, their first child. 

Happy New Year!

Wow!  What a year 2006 was.  I've meet some really great new people and got to crossed a few things of my list of accomplishements.  It's always nice when you get a chance to do that.

Sorry I haven't been updating for the last two months.  I've been out of town most of those weekend so I haven't been home.  I don't know about most of you guys but I'm not among the world's best writer, I'll be happy with just "average" writer.  So a short simple entry could take me a few hours.  I don't hate writing though, it just take me a long time to write. 

Anyway... I'll post some pics of what i've been up to during my two months abscence in the following weeks.  But right now here are some of my personal highlights of 2006:

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Brought my website online.

I got meet one of my hero... the legendary Scott Robert!  If you can't afford to hire him to shoot your wedding, don't worry, I'll shoot it for you for a lot less.  

I bought my own place!  Here's a view from my bedroom window.  Good thing i have a picture of it now, because they will build more houses around my place and block my million $$ view.

do you recognized that glass building?  hint:  it's now a famous building, located in Texas.

Helped my little brother and his finance moved into their place during x-mas w/ my other younger brother and my parents.  We ate out all weekends and slept on the floor.... [sigh] what memories!  Atleast I now have some family living in the same city w/ me.

that's me in the red cap, it was freaking cold!

Got this coffee maker from my brother for x-mas, i couldn't believed it, it was exactly what I wanted! 

I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2007.  I'll probably wish you the same thing when the Chinese New Year rolled around in February. 

   

Kelly + Jamie
10-14-2006

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Even rain wasn't going to stop Kelly and Jamie from  their big day.  They kept their spirits high and managed to have load of fun with all their friends and relatives, many were from out of states.  The wedding was outside on a ranch followed by the reception in the backyard by the pool with texas barbeque and beer from Jamie's brewery.  Too bad I didn't get to try the beer because I was working, but don't worry, I still have to deliver the final pictures  .  Everyone was sooo cool and they all made me feel like a part of their family. 

It has been a long week and I wanted to post a few shots from the wedding before I head out for another one in a few hours.  I'll see if I can put together a slideshow later.

to see the original shot, click *HERE*

 

Go Sooners!!!
this saturday marked the 101st  OU (#14*) vs. TX (#7) football game.  it's one of the oldest rivalry in college football and (to me) one of the top five games of the season.  if you're not into college football, you should definitely check it out b/c who ever win this game usually play in one of the BCS bowl game. they might even get a chance to play for the national title.  last year, texas won this game and went on to beat USC and claimed the national title.  this year both teams are evenly matched, so it will make for another great game. 

i have to dvr this game b/c i'll be shooting a wedding this saturday.  so that mean no calling me w/ scores updates.  or worst, calling me w/ the final scores... that is so wrong.

*should still be undefeated 

 

i was in
Houston this weekend for a good
friend of mine baby shower.  i decided to take along my gears and when i
took it out to start taking picture, everyone was shocked.  i guess that
is  because they didn't know i shoot weddings on the weekend.  also,
maybe b/c i never told any of them.  so this was my trial by fire.  i
must say, it was really good to go away for the weekend and just hang out w/
friends that i haven't seen in a while.  and on top of that, to be able to
show them what i do is icing on the cake. 

i have to give a big shout out to my new favorite model... A-P-P-L-E... Apple!  she is such
a bundle of joy!  and look at those dimples!!! 

i knew Tam when he first came to the US
from the mother land during my high school days, our neighborhood was next to
each other.  i also stayed w/ his family a few years back when i was
working down there.  over the years, i got to know his family pretty
well... same with him toward my family.  i got to know Bao Anh when they
started dating.  i know Tam and i made a few (ok... a lot) of really
stupid decisions while they were dating, but this girl must have really loved
him to see through all that and stuck by him.  what more can you look for
in another person?  so my friend made the best decision of his life and
married her.  i couldn't have been prouder. 

so i guess in life, you just have to be sure to correctly make that One
Decision correctly and it will make all your other mistakes seem so trivial...
lesson learned!

coincidently, i was the one who videotaped their wedding, it was my payment
from a bet that i lost.  if i had to do it over, i would have change the
stipulations of the bet.  dude!  that was a lose/ lose situation for
me.  what was i thinking?

ok... enough of me rambling.  on with the show!

these two videos crack me up.  i like to get the money shot too, but even i know you just can't get every shot at a wedding.  i would like to see how these people would handle shooting a wedding at a church that only allow you to stay in the back... and [gasp] no flash!  oh yeah... that one have Jerry Springer written all over it.  not only are they a
great example of "when photographer attack", but (in the second
video) also point out the impeccable taste these people have in selecting their attire.  she could go straight to a garage sale
afterward and wouldn’t even have to change a thing.

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Runner Up

1st Place

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they also crack me up b/c i do have a black shirt and a black
pant and sometime the rotation come around where i end up wearing both at the
same time.  i didn't know other wedding photographers wear this
stuff.  since when did that became the standard uniform?  Note To
Self - don't ever wear black shirt and pant while shooting a wedding again.

I don't usually get upset when my Sooners lost a football
game, it hard to have a perfect record for the whole season (except for the
2000 season ).  I watched them play against Oregon
this Saturday and I was sick with the officiating of the game.  It was dreadful!!! 
Sure this is a rebuilding year and the Sooners gave up a lot of yardage, but it
all came with less than two minutes on an onside kick.  The replay official blew it and
it cost the Sooners their first lost of the season.  Sometime I wonder if
the official are watching the same game the rest of us are seeing on TV?  Oh
well... at least it's all over the news and everyone know who actually won the
game even if they did took the lost. 

The Sooners just need to take it out on their next opponent, so that calls like
this won't cost them the game.  And looking at the schedule, Middle
Tennessee State
is as good a candidate as any for the Sooners to express their
frustration!   My prediction... 35 to 3 and that's just the half time
score. 

a few from this past weekend as i was helping out Chris.  i've shot at this location once before and knew it was a small, typical wedding chapel.  when i came back this time, i wanted to try and give the pictures a fresh approach so i brought in an extra flash for backlight (something i didn't have before). 

i also bought showit web software, which suppose to generate a slideshow for you, but i haven't figured out how to post it into a website or blog yet.  so for now you have to do it the manual way and click through. 

jessica is a beautiful and fun bride while garrett is a little reserved.  he also can speak fluent spanish like a native.   i don't speak fluent spanish, but i can tell the difference between that and spanlish. 

*haven't been posting in a few weeks and i noticed xanga change the way we can post pics.  [sigh...] i have to go and figure out how to correctly post some pictures. 

Ok... figured it out now...