Jeff Blogs

Never has the old adage “a picture is worth a 1,000 words” echoed so loudly as when you are trying to lose weight. Before I began this journey to become healthier I tried my best to stay away from cameras. It is said that a camera will add 5-10 pounds to a person’s looks. I felt it was more like 20-30 pounds.

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When I first purchased my Gitzo Series 3 monopod I needed a head to hold the camera. At the time I selected a Really Right Stuff BH-40 mid-sized ball head. The ball head was amazing and was perhaps the finest engineered photography accessory I have ever seen in my life.

It works perfectly securing the camera or the lens. The only issue I have with it is the fact that it is too versatile for what I need. The BH-40 was designed to be a tripod ball head. It is designed to adjust on any axis.

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I’ll be the first to admit that when I began researching monopods and ballheads I had no idea what I was doing. Until now my photography was predominately handheld. On those occasions when I needed a tripod I relied upon an aluminum model that I purchased at K-Mart in the early 1980’s. This was definitely not what you would call state of the art.

I have to admit; when I bought the monopod I inaccurately assumed it came with some type of head to mount the camera to it. When the monopod arrived you can imagine my surprise when I found that all it had was a threaded bolt at the top.

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I am not sure how it happened but the amount of photographic equipment and accessories I’ve accumulated has blossomed like a mushroom cloud. I found myself carrying two or three bags of equipment with me when I went out on a photo shoot. This became cumbersome and frustrating. I decided what I needed was a bag that could hold my gear and keep it protected while I was out in the field. I looked at several before finally deciding on the Tamrac 5587 photo backpack.

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I’m a total technology geek. I am always looking for a new toy or tool that will make my life easier or just plain more fun. It doesn’t matter what aspect of my life I am talking about; I am always looking for fun new toys. This winter my son was selected to play on an AYSO tournament soccer team. As a former soccer player myself I was enthusiastic at this selection. As a nervous father I tend to pace the sidelines and over analyze each moment of play. In order to keep my sanity and not get thrown out, my wife suggested that I take my Nikon D300 and D200 cameras and take pictures. She is now regretting that suggestion as I have filled hard drives with pictures and begun to make a list of camera accessories that I “need” in order to get the best possible shot.

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