I recently had the opportunity to dive and film with the OrcaTorch D900V underwater dive light. This dive light has 3 colors, a bright white setting with wide beam for videos and photos, Red for sneaking up on your favorite subjects and blue for capturing. UV fluorescence Build quality on this light is solid. With a depth rating of 150m… Read more →
gear review
Join me for the Stella Video Light Challenge!
First, a little background. I shoot a number of trade shows annually both local and international. They range in subject matter from New Mobility at IAA (future of smart cities and automotive in Frankfurt) to CES (consumer electronics in Las Vegas) to the Detroit auto show and World Mobile Congress in Barcelona. I’m currently packing up to go work DEMA… Read more →
My 360 Journey #2
Next bit of learning… The only way to shoot more professional 360 video UNDERWATER with a pile of GoPro’s (six to be exact) is to make sure you get versions that have Protune option in setup. The ability to manually set exposure and color so that it does NOT auto correct is key to a good stitch. Don’t let anyone… Read more →
Dive Gear Review: Spyder-K01 8mm BIB hood
When I heard about the super stretchy K01 hood, I will admit to being skeptical. A few years back I discovered the Waterproof 5/10 hood and thought for sure I’d found diving hood nirvana. It is a fantastic hood but would get stiff over time (easily remedied by buying 2 or 3 at a time and retiring regularly). I… Read more →
A diving NERD at heart…
The Shearwater NERD. Seriously, this is the best thing to happen to dive computers and rebreathers …ever. Especially if you are photographer or videographer. I feel so strongly about this that I will go on record saying I think that they should be standard issue on all rebreathers. HUD’s or Heads up displays are the future of pretty much everything… Read more →
Panasonic GH4: The best camera I was prepared to hate
Sometimes I get an idea in my head. I don’t always know where it comes from, listening to others, random ideas… Sometimes it’s just me being a wanker and not liking something I don’t/can’t have. I get all down on it so I don’t ‘want’ it. I know, a bit juvenile, but hey, we all have our moments, right? Such… Read more →
Just do it right: Underwater Tripod follies
Just do it Right. I know, I know, I say that a lot, but usually it’s because unbeknownst to you my fine reader, I’ve wasted time and money doing it cheap or wrong or thinking I could reinvent a better wheel, etc… The latest case of admitting I was wanking around and should have just sucked it up is in… Read more →
Weight matters
Benro vs. Manfrotto, Benro vs. Manfrotto, waffle waffle. I don’t usually buy stuff I end up not liking because most of the time my endless obsessing research pays off. The other thing I need to remember is this: If I haven’t already made up my mind, don’t take friends to the camera store with me to look at a new… Read more →
Apple Studio display review
I love editing. There, I said it…. I know that makes me weird… I’m a shooter who also loves to edit. That doesn’t mean I like to fritter away my time though. Editing has made me a better shooter. When I look at something in post and think “oh man, if I’d just angled the camera this way or… Read more →
Why the SOLA4000’s are worth the $$
I shoot video, underwater (topside too, but I got my start beneath the emerald sea) Most recently with a Canon 5DMK2 in a Subal Housing and a Sony PMW-EX1 in a Gates Housing. My underwater cameras are all a generation or so behind, but that isn’t terribly relevant, I do ok 🙂 I’ve used small lights and big lights HID,… Read more →