Focus onimaging

Tom

Of course I meant £109 ~ doh.
 
Had to laugh at the Lencarta stand as the poor model was blinded by the flash going off in her face every 2 seconds. The guy was trying to get a lightmeter reading, but all the perverts photographers with thier silly flashguns and on board flashes, kept firing the main studio flashes he had set up.. He looked a little flustered.
Click to expand...
In fact, we were using the Safari Li-on as the key light, mainly because we didn't want cables running across the floor and had run out of sockets to plug things into, only the background light (playing on Jeremy's excellent Wickes roofing sheet background:)) was on a slave, and that was only in use for part of the demos.
In my own demos, I used the large beauty dish, partly to prove that the Li-on could take the weight, and partly to prove that the fast recycling could keep up with my 'machine gun' approach to fashion shots. As for the pervs, our model Jade was approached by several genuine photographers but there were a couple who were far from genuine. She's only young, but knows exactly how to deal with them:)
I have to admit I got shunned on the lencarta stand too, I called in to say hi to Garry at around 5, he wasn't on the stand but while I looked at the fresnel attachment no one else on the stand bothered to break their conversation.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry about that. Our team are photographers, not salesmen and maybe we don't have the skills that salesmen have. There's no intention of ignoring people, the whole idea is to leave people to look at the equipment in peace and to only go over to them if they look as if they need help.
 
Lencarta stand and new flash heads looked good. What was the Wickes background all about?
 
Triggaaar said:
Lencarta stand and new flash heads looked good. What was the Wickes background all about?
Click to expand...
We tried to show people how simple and cheap lighting can be - it seems to me that a lot of other exhibitors go in the opposite direction with their demos and turn them into glorified sales pitches. We don't, and demonstrated that good results can be obtained with just one light, although other lights can be introduced if required.

The background was 2 sheets of corrugated roofing from Wickes, they were black and cost a fiver each. Left unlit, they produced a dark background with some detail (from a little spilled light). Lit from an acute angle with a high intensity reflector and a lighting gel, it produced a pretty dramatic background.
Jeremy produced his usual sparkling demos based on event photography, but with just one light, and he also showed how to pose couples for best effect - well worth watching by everyone, including experienced pros.

Jonathan was as entertaining as ever, he's very good at quick and simple one-light setups, producing hard-lit portraits that jump out and hit people, and then showing how to mitigate the hard light with a simple, cheap reflector.

My first demo was with a ringflash and I made a mess of it. My other demos were with a beauty dish, doing fashion/glamour style shots, and I was happier with those - basically showing people how to create shadows that define and enhance the shape of the face.

The stand was good, thanks largely to Jonathan who took on the job of laying it out, but it will be even better next year.
 
Garry Edwards said:
In fact, we were using the Safari Li-on as the key light, mainly because we didn't want cables running across the floor and had run out of sockets to plug things into, only the background light (playing on Jeremy's excellent Wickes roofing sheet background:)) was on a slave, and that was only in use for part of the demos.
In my own demos, I used the large beauty dish, partly to prove that the Li-on could take the weight, and partly to prove that the fast recycling could keep up with my 'machine gun' approach to fashion shots. As for the pervs, our model Jade was approached by several genuine photographers but there were a couple who were far from genuine. She's only young, but knows exactly how to deal with them:)
I'm sorry about that. Our team are photographers, not salesmen and maybe we don't have the skills that salesmen have. There's no intention of ignoring people, the whole idea is to leave people to look at the equipment in peace and to only go over to them if they look as if they need help.
Click to expand...

Maybe it wasn't you then, the model was (ex?) wonder bra. Not being into lighting much, I get easily confused as to who's who.
 
I said hello to Garry, nice chat too. Top bloke!
 
Garry Edwards said:
The background was 2 sheets of corrugated roofing from Wickes, they were black and cost a fiver each. Left unlit, they produced a dark background with some detail (from a little spilled light). Lit from an acute angle with a high intensity reflector and a lighting gel, it produced a pretty dramatic background.
Click to expand...

Was very impressed by the results from this background, very good results(y)
 
Yeah I liked the wickes sheets, I take it these are them? A little more than a fiver but still inexpensive for the effect that you can create with them. I enjoyed both the presentations you two put on.
 
Little John said:
Yeah I liked the wickes sheets, I take it these are them? A little more than a fiver but still inexpensive for the effect that you can create with them. I enjoyed both the presentations you two put on.
Click to expand...

That looks like them, maybe they've gone up since he bought them
 
I went on Sunday... it was quite fun. I got a nice carrier bag from Manfrotto. Went to look around mainly though rather than buying stuff. I wish I'd been able to try out a Zeiss lens but my hands were sticky at that point from free sweets. :(

I'm a bit confused about why you shouldn't take a camera? My fiance takes his so he can try out lenses on it (he does ask). Can't see what'd be wrong with that. Though I do agree there were a lot of large bags etc... A lady shoved me at one point but I managed to avoid everyone else for the most part - benefit of being 5'1 :D
 
Last edited:
its like looking into the audience of a camera club lol

specialman said:
IMAG0338.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Thanx guys I missed what he said was too busy looking at the model ( purely from a photographic perspective of course ) lol
 
First time visitor on Tuesday. Quite enjoyed it and after reading people's earlier opinions was quite surprised not to be trodden black and blue! There were a few folk with big lenses at the demos I was watching( can't really understand why you are watching a lighting demo and trying to capture an image when those lights aren't on) but managed to ignore them and focus on what was being said.
 
EMA747 said:
There is always next year. Just make sure to save up so you can buy all the nice things on display!
Click to expand...

Fair enough, I just hope that the talks I wanted to attend are around next year ~ definitely need to save :}!

jacob12_1993 said:
I have written a short picture review/report of my time working at focus if anybody is interested http://jacobjamesphotography.co.uk/2012/03/08/review-focus-imaging-2012/
Click to expand...

Had a read of this review & it's confirmed ~ I'm going next year! Canon & Ilford stands are a musttt.
 
Last edited:
IamAshlyRose said:
Fair enough, I just hope that the talks I wanted to attend are around next year ~ definitely need to save :}!
Click to expand...

Unlikely to be the same talks, as each year tends to have different subjects covered by the company speakers. That said, you will likely find demos and talks that have similar themes to the ones from this year, although from different companies, plus new subjects and speakers of course.
 
@Michael Sewell Mm there was one speaker in particular whose a photogapher I particularly admire & she's done a talk for Canon this & last year. She might not cover exactly the same things but I'm interested to hear about anything she has to say. I'll be trying hard to go next year regardless tho ~ was rather guttted that I couldn't attend this year.
 
Do you book seminar places on the day or before hand? I didn't know about these - if I had known I would have gone. Will def go next year.
 
IamAshlyRose said:
Mm there was one speaker in particular whose a photogapher I particularly admire & she's done a talk for Canon this & last year. She might not cover exactly the same things but I'm interested to hear about anything she has to say. I'll be trying hard to go next year regardless tho ~ was rather guttted that I couldn't attend this year.
Click to expand...

If the lady in question has given seminars for Canon on a regular basis, although Canon weren't present at Focus last year, then she is quite likely to be there next year. That said, there will be plenty of seminars and demos to keep you happy ;)
 
I was unable to go (again) this year, hopefully next time.

I'm sorry about that. Our team are photographers, not salesmen and maybe we don't have the skills that salesmen have. There's no intention of ignoring people, the whole idea is to leave people to look at the equipment in peace and to only go over to them if they look as if they need help.
Click to expand...
Back in the day I used to love attending electrical exhibitions, but most of the people manning the stands only had a vague idea of what was required, they were mainly reps who were used to spending all the time on the road, it was a constant surprise to me that companies would spend 10s of thousands of pounds on a stand but not bother to train anyone. John Cleese did a range of humorous business training videos, and one was about manning stands, it was so true to life.
In the past I've almost had to push the reps out of the way in order to get on the stand.
Manning a stand is a unique skill and not as easy (to do properly) as it looks.
 
Hopefully!
Definitely going to try & go next year. Just curious, do you have to purchase tickets to attend Focus on Imaging? Any entry fees?
 
Definitely going to try & go next year. Just curious, do you have to purchase tickets to attend Focus on Imaging? Any entry fees?
Click to expand...
You register on-line http://www.focus-on-imaging.co.uk/index.htm if you are 'professional' it's free, you can opt to pay though, if you really want to.

They then send a ticket some weeks prior to the show, don't suppose they are taking registrations for next year just yet !

Once you get a (free) ticket, they just keep sending them, no need to re-register every year.
Mind you, it costs £8.00 to park your car!
 
As a professional, you would register for free from September
To register, visit this link

EDIT: Sorry, just a little late in replying. Left the reply unposted whilst taking a call, and then pushed submit before checking
 
Last edited:
john-oh said:
You register on-line http://www.focus-on-imaging.co.uk/index.htm if you are 'professional' it's free, you can opt to pay though, if you really want to.

They then send a ticket some weeks prior to the show, don't suppose they are taking registrations for next year just yet !

Once you get a (free) ticket, they just keep sending them, no need to re-register every year.
Mind you, it costs £8.00 to park your car!
Click to expand...

Hush, don't tell anyone else but park in the railway car park for £4 all day then just wander down to the show.
 
I'll be getting the train up there anyway but thank you all for your answers. Is the ticket valid for the entire duration of the event?
 
Kris said:
I'm triple pro!

They always send me three tickets. God knows why.
Click to expand...

I got two this year as well, most odd.
 
I got 2 and forgot both of them, realised 40 minutes in to the journey. They reprinted one for me when I got there.
 
Michael Sewell said:
Yes, they are not specific to any particular day
Click to expand...

You can go any day or all days if you want. One ticket is valid throughout the event.
 
TCR4x4 said:
You can go any day or all days if you want. One ticket is valid throughout the event.
Click to expand...

Ooh, wonderful :}
 
PCPhil said:
Hush, don't tell anyone else but park in the railway car park for £4 all day then just wander down to the show.
Click to expand...

OK. But only if you don't tell anybody they don't staff the car park barriers after about 6:30....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top