Recent content by CharleyL

The Speedliters Handbook is available in pdf form. This link should get you there. https://www.scribd.com/document/343764696/Speedliter-s-Handbook Charley

I carry a bundle of parachute cord and long boot laces (black) in my camera bag for tying down my tripod to rocks, railings, trees, etc. I use these for both tripod and light stands, but usually hang my camera bag under the tripod. I also carry a couple of sand bags (empty) to fill with local...

"The ones with plastic 3 way heads?" No, they have metal heads. I've dropped them several times over the years, so they are missing a few chips of paint, but definitely metal. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/48712-REG/Slik_612_212_U212_Tripod.html Charley

My newest tripods are about 20 years old. They are both SLIK 212 Pro and they have never failed me either in the studio or when out in the World. At about 5.5 lbs each I keep considering lighter tripods, but then I have to give up so many features that I'm soon back using only these when...

They sell several versions of L brackets that attach to the camera tripod 1/4-20 hole in the bottom of the camera and extend out and up to the side of the camera, with cold shoes attached to their side and top. You could attach your AD200 to one of these and use a sync cable/hot shoe adapter to...

Actually, I've become quite good at hitting insects with rubber bands shot from my fingers. I just happened to be spraying contact cleaner that day and used what I had. If I had rubber bands near me that day, he would likely have been just as dead. For photography, I keep Atmosphere spray in...

I have a wall of sliding overlapping 4 ft wide insulation panels along one side of my usual shooting area that is at 90 degrees to my main 6 backdrop 10' wide system, and I have occasionally used these panels as a second backdrop. They are painted ceiling white on one side and flat black on the...

I still use the Eneloop AA cells that have survived many many recharges over the past 4 years, but then I started buying Tenergy, as they are reported to have considerably higher storage capacity. Whenever any cell starts requiring way more charging time than the rest of the same brand being...

Here is the result of an experiment I did recently. I wanted to restrict the light diameter to the point where it only illuminated the top bud area of the roses. Using my Godox SK400 as a light source and adding a snoot, even with the included 60 degree grid did not produce the desired result...

With one of these you can mount nearly any speedlite to a light stand with 5/8" diameter spigot and have umbrella and Bowens type mount for soft boxes too. They have a tilt forward and back capability with locking knob too. The speedlite head gets clamped in the center of the ring...

Look at the scanner sensor very carefully. There may be a speck on the scanner head in that position. If nothing is there, you have a defect in one sensor pixel in that position. A crop is the easiest way to get around it, but with good photo editing software you should be able to just move the...

"Hi Charley, I used to do a number of still life shoots on film with a small studio in my garage. My garage is a bit full at the moment but must sort it out as I loved it! Here are some shots: "...

Steve, Here is a photo of a "table Top" shot that I recently did. I have a small studio upstairs in my home, but a real photo studio isn't necessary for this kind of shot. It can be your living room, or dining room, or even a garage or basement. You will need about an 8-10' square minimum area...

To avoid reflections from back lighting of the window glass, it's best to shield the space between the camera lens and the window glass somehow. They make a very large diameter rubber lens hood that works quite well for this if you can keep the face of this hood against the glass while shooting...

The autofocus assist requires communication with the camera to work properly. When the correct transmitter matches the camera, additional contacts in the hot shoe receive focus control signals through these contacts to activate and then turn off the laser. Camera and flash transmitter must match...