a Strobist Christmas

a Strobist Christmas
Originally uploaded by CameronMagee

For the Christmas Gift Shots this year, I wanted to go Strobist.

I refused to just shoot the available, ambient light of my bedroom floor. It would have been really gross. Even if I white balanced to the tungsten overheads, I would have had ISO-1600, at wide-open f/4, with a nice blurry 1/25th. It's a dark room. I really ought to do something about that light...

Anyway, I decided not to break out the Alien Bee AB1600, but to just use my Canon 580EX-II Speedlight. I put it on my Manfrotto Nano stand, and triggered it with my borrowed set of Poverty Wizards. When you can't afford the real Pocket Wizards, you go Poverty Wizards. And when you don't have Poverty Wizards, you borrow some.

I wanted a light that I could work comfortably in. I wanted light that would be smooth, and lit from a direction that I would not block. IE: I did not want the typical front light, because I would shadow it. That meant backlight. But, true backlight would look gross for these "product" shots on my "not-product" carpet that already looked "pretty unprofessional". So, I opted for more of a ceiling bounced light. But, I did not want a full downward light source.

I placed my stand off camera right, and pointed it to the camera-left corner of my room, which would light the subject from above camera left and behind. Check out this quick setup shot.

The safe was in the hot-seat here. My workflow was visually simple. I placed all the gifts away from my bed. I would place them one at a time in the shooting area. When their time was done, they got set on the bed, and out of my way on the floor. Then the next subject was called in. You can see the final two waiting their turn in the bottom of that image.

This gave me ISO-400, 1/200th, at f/5.6. Why f/5.6? Because I could dial up to f/4 for the black stuff, and dial down to f/7.1 for the white shiny gifts.

Speaking of shiny, I don't like shiny stuff. It reflects the light, and the flash looks disgusting. To avoid this flash look, I angled all of my stuff slightly forward, by placing a baseball underneath everything. This angled the shiny cardboard away from the light source, keeping it lit, but not glared.

A nice easy system that allowed me to move wirelessly, adjust for bright or dark gifts a few f-stops, and most importantly, was consistent from shot to shot. Because the light was not behind me, I could stand wherever I wanted in front of the subject, and the light just worked.

Results:

Merry Christmas!

2008 Stocking Contents
Originally uploaded by CameronMagee

Well, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas this year. I was not expecting much from this year, but it turned out to be one of the greatest Christmas's yet!

Caleb's got a few rules (morals) to his lifestyle.
Rule #1: Low Expectations are the Key to Happiness
This year, since Caleb and I had already received our iPhones, I was not expecting anything. We were told that if we got iPhones, that would be it, and not to expect any packages on Christmas morning, so we didn't. My expectations were low, meaning that if I got one gift, I was going to light up like an elf.

I had to go Strobist on ya'll, and document each of my gifts. When Aubrey asked to see what I had gotten, I showed her through flipping around the photos on an LCD screen instead of actually sifting through them. "figures"

It was a great year. Both in the typical kid way of measuring a Christmas, and in a sentimental way. It was a good year because I got a great "haul" of gifts, but mainly it was a good year because I got to spend it with my family, and with my girl's family, the Elliott's.

After spending the entire morning and afternoon over here, I got to run over to their house for an hour or two. They always make me feel so welcome over there, like I'm just part of the family, coming over a little late. I love those Elliott's.

You can see all the photos in my Christmas Set on Flickr. And I'll list out all the gifts here. This'll be it for tonight, I've got to get on a little thank-you writing. Mom and Aubrey would be se proud. : )

The relatives gave me the eternally-loved, eternally-appreciated Cash. Juanell and Dub, Mitch and Karen, Grannie and Papa, and my Aunt Vickie.

Kirk and Amy also got me a new laundry bag for school.
and tossed in a SWEET grow-toy, a frog that turns prince.
Mom and Dad pulled through with a LaCie 1TB Drive!
Grannie and Papa added a nice emergency blanket for the car with their card.
Caleb pulled out two DVDs for me, Air Force One, and Terminal.
Mom and Dad also got me an InCase sleeve for my MacBook
Now That's What I Call Music! 29 (I've got 1-28)
Finding Nemo
Sweet Flashlight
iPhone Charger
2 Shirts, a Tie and a Hat
2 K'NEX sets, a NERF gun
and a fireproof safe

Merry Christmas, everybody. I can only hope that yours was as grand as mine.

Gingerbread for Two

the Ginger Family
Originally uploaded by CameronMagee

Aubrey got to come over this morning, and we put together a Gingerbread House together.

We try to spend time primarily with our families while home in Bentonville, since we get to see each other on a daily basis in Arkadelphia. It was nice to get to do an activity though.

I picked up one of those Gingerbread House kits from the friendly local Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. I know, I know, it's not a legit deal, but, it was a house, made of gingerbread, and we were going to make that sucker.

It was fun. We tried our best on the decorating, and, with her woman's touch, the house doesn't look too bad. Of course, all the credit for that really is on her side. I had a decent grip on the icing dispersion, which really only goes so far. It was her decorating eye, and our insistence on doing our absolute best to make it the greatest edible-house ever, that made it come out in the end.

I read a couple of different blogs (see them on the right), and two of them had also made Gingerbread Houses: BooMaMa and LPM.  I went to check them out, and they were the exact same kit.  You've gotta love America, and you've gotta love Wal-Mart.  People on opposite ends of the United States, getting together with friends and family to make... the exact same kit.  Crazy.

I'm pretty proud of it, and wanted to get it up before I hopped in bed for the night.

Tomorrow is Christmas, and I wanted to make sure that all 2 of you that read this have a Merry Christmas. I hope you are with family, or with people who love you on this wonderful Joyous season. A season where everyone becomes a little happier, a little kinder, and a little more compassionate. Something that our LORD would want for his son on a birthday.

I better hit the hay, so that Santa will bring me something on his sleigh!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Apple MacBook

So, I finally stepped up to the plate, and ordered myself a new computer. It was getting to be about time, but I loved my PowerBook so much, I refused to replace it. The Apple 12" PowerBook is the best designed computer that Apple has ever engineered. But, my demands for performance in a notebook outweigh the love that I have for the form factor of that computer.

I wanted a computer that was relatively fast, but more importantly, I needed storage. My music collection alone pushes 40GB at this point, and my photos are on their way to 50GB. Those two elements alone outgrow my 100GB hard drive on my 12" PowerBook. And so, the search began. Since I love the size of the small 12" design, I had no interest in a MacBook Pro, they're too big for me now. I wanted the smaller brother to the MBP, the MacBook, with it's 13" screen.

Apple just released new MacBooks, great! But, they decided to pull something called "firewire" from the MacBook line, and make it an exclusive feature of the MacBook Pro's. This makes sense, because most consumers have no need for firewire. But I do. I want firewire, and I don't want a 15" screen. I'm on the hunt.

The previous generation of MacBooks was just fine. They're 13", and have firewire. Looks like I found my option. But, Apple does not manufacture them anymore, since they now strictly produce the new, firewire-lacking, models. I was going to have to settle for a used one. But I don't want a used one. I don't trust people. I treat my laptops REALLY well, and I don't know a single person that I would trust to buy from, they all don't meet up to my caring requirements.

I found an "old" MacBook sitting in a Pennsylvania warehouse. It was sealed, and only about two weeks old. It had been in the last batch off the assembly line, before the new models. It had everything I needed, for a heck of a deal.

Apple Black MacBook
2.4ghz
2GB Memory
250GB Hard Drive

This machine would have been $1600 two weeks ago, when it was cool, but now, it's lame. To everyone else, this computer is way un-cool, because the new ones are out. So, the price had been cut $500. I ordered it within 24hrs of finding it. I got this sweet new machine, for $1100. I love it.

Now, it's time to send my PowerBook off to a new home. It'll be on eBay very soon!

I'm no fool, I play it cool.

I love Aubrey Elliott.
I love Chick-Fil-A.

The two together are an unstoppable force, and when combined, may very well be a weapon of mass destruction. Ouachita has a Chick-Fil-A on campus, which Aubrey treats me to periodically. She called today, offering to buy my dinner at Chick-Fil-A as long as I could get there soon, and not make her late for her show tonight. FREE CHICKEN? I'M THERE.

I RUN out of my dorm room, drive over there, and park in visitor parking, the opposite side of where Chick-Fil-A is on their campus. I RUN through across the sidewalks and through the grass as fast...

it rained this morning.

...as I can. The grass is slick, so I'm no fool, I play it cool. "nice and easy", I tell myself, "not too fast, don't slip". I'm making good time, by the way. I get out in the middle of a pretty big section of grass, when all the sudden this grass gets WAY less solid, and WAY more swampish. Uh-Oh. Well, gotta keep running, stopping won't get me out of this mess any faster. I check my shoes (my favorite shoes) in the light when I get there. Disproving myself, "wow, the damage isn't too bad, I guess I made it!"

A similar scenario (photo by Lee Vickers)

People over here at OBU can sense when one of us Reddies steps on campus. I know it. The whole time we were in Chick-Fil-A, everybody was looking at me weird. It was like I had "REDDIE SPIRIT" stamped on my back. I tried not to let it bother me "no big deal", I tell myself "now quit talking to yourself" I tell myself.

On the way out, Aubrey and I bump into a friend, who nicely comments on my shirt. I'm feeling PRETTY good right about now. Everybody likes my shirt, I just got to spend some one-on-one time with Aubrey, and free chicken.

We go to walk out. We get to the door. I turn to leave. Man, that chicken was good. cue Aubrey: "what's all over your back?"

That muddy grass did not treat me good. When I ran through it, I checked my shoes, but I managed to NOT check the entire backside of my body. I had sprayed myself up and down with MUD from my high-velocity running. THAT'S what people had been looking at, not my Henderson Reddie Spirit (also written all over my back).

I won't be doing any high-velocity running through potentially-muddy scenarios for at least another week. This taught me a lesson though. The shirt comment was making me feel pretty proud of myself (for what, my mom picking out a cool shirt?). I guess being a little proud is fine, but being humble is even better. It took about 30secs of pride for my humility to be delivered. It was a nice 30secs, I felt pretty good, but this humility thing makes for way funnier stories.

God answers prayers, and I think praying to be humbled gives him a chance to show off that sense of humor.
I LOVE IT.

James 4:6
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."