The Platypod ProTM Deluxe Kit is essentially a small pocketable camera and accessory support. When you add a small to medium ball head it will do almost everything a tripod does. Best of all, it will not draw a lot of attention in locations where a tripod may not be permitted. With the addition of a bungie cord you can use it in places where you would otherwise need a three legged flexible tripod like a GorillaPod. So the Platypod Pro is your tripod to-go.
The Platypod is a sturdy aircraft grade aluminum base plate with a welded 3/8-16 inch titanium screw for mounting a ball-head. A ball-head as large as 5 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide will work and will also fit in the carrying case. There is also a second welded 1/4-20 inch screw that can be used for mounting accessories, LED lights, a small strobe or speed light, etc. The kit includes three stainless steel spikes and lock wheels. A rubber cap is provided for the flat end of each spike. In addition, a 1/4-to-3/4-inch female spigot adapter is included in the kit.
The base plate has three threaded holes that allow you to mount the spikes. Four additional mounting holes have been drilled into the base plate. In addition to providing a secure footing the spikes can be used to easily level the Platypod. The additional holes can be used to secure the base plate to your studio walls, shooting platforms etc. I find these holes to be perfect for attaching bungie cord hooks and securing the base plate to fence posts, rails and tree limbs. 
The kit comes in a beautifully designed red and black zippered pouch. In its collapsed state the pouch holds the base plate, screw spikes and the spigot adaptor. A magnetic closure keeps the pop-out pouch in place. It can be attached to your belt or attached to a loop via the supplied carabiner. The pouch will pop out and expand to hold a decent sized ball head. A zippered outer pocket can hold your keys, memory cards, etc.
With a good small or medium sized ball head you can support most DSLRs and mirrorless cameras fitted with normal to long telephoto lenses. A super telephoto lens will not balance well. It is best to position the camera with the lens pointed in the same direction as the nose of the Platypod and with the balance point as close to the center of the ball head. The Platypod is great for ground level photography, a mount for action cameras and for creating panoramas. For panoramas use a pan/tilt ball head like the Uniqball as shown below.
An Astro radial motion time lapse and panorama unit with a camera mounted to it is easily supported for panning time-lapse imagery or automated panoramas.
The Platypod Pro can be used on any flat surface without using the spikes. If you need to level the base plate the spikes can be used in either orientation. The rubber caps not only provide some friction preventing the base from sliding but also prevent damaging furniture etc. For uneven surfaces like asphalt, rocks and brick the spikes are your best choice for stability. To attach the baseplate to a fence post, rail or tree limb, a pair of bungie cords work great. All you need is to secure the cord around your object and hook the ends into the four unthreaded holes in the base plate. Zip-ties have been suggested as an alternative means of securing the baseplate but I find their removal requires cutting the tie. Moreover, zip-ties are not reusable and are not environmentally friendly.The Platypod has found a permanent home in my photography bag. The Platypod Pro cost $49.95 and you can get yours 
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We are happy to announce a partnership with The Coop, a professional photographic studio and educational venue. The Coop is located in Putnam Connecticut. Putnam is easily accessed from western, central and southern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the surrounding areas.
The Studio is three floors. The first floor has about 1500 sq feet, can be used as a natural light studio with 2 huge storefront windows. Black out curtains are available. Neutral grey walls allow for uncontaminated color casts. There is ample space for backgrounds, floor drops, and stationary props. This studio includes desk, counter and storage space for client’s orders. On the first floor is class room/meeting space with seating for 20+ for presentations and workshops and a reveal wall.
The 2nd floor has 3 shooting areas and a separate meeting space for consults and meetings. The main shooting areas are filling with hanging muslin, tracked backdrops as well as 108” paper rolls. A smaller room, ~ 10x15’ allows for soft window light perfect for newborns or more intimate photography. The meeting space with HDMI TV and comfortable couches allow for a more private meeting. Storage space on the 2nd floor is available for equipment storage.Then there is the attic for creating offbeat images with exposed lathe, old brick and exposed beams.The Coop is well equipped with strobes, light modifiers, backdrops, V-flats, furniture, faux floors and a lot more. The meeting space has a projector and screen.
The Coop is available for long and short term photo and video rentals. Memberships or hourly rates are available. We will be offering classes and hands on workshops for all levels of levels of experience.
Panasonic has announced a Firmware update 2.5 that introduces several enhancements introduced in Lumix G series cameras since the GH4 was originally introduced.Post FocusPost Focus is a special function that enables users to select an in-focus point after shooting. It has already been integrated in new LUMIX cameras such as the GX8. This feature allows you to change the perspective for greater photographic expression or to choose the best in-focus shot for macro shooting.4K PHOTO (4K Burst / 4K Burst (Start/Stop) / 4K Pre-burst)With 4K PHOTO mode there are three dedicated modes – 4K Burst / 4K Burst (Start/Stop) / 4K Pre-burst – are all now available on LUMIX GH4*. The addition of these modes further enhances the usability of 4K PHOTO to capture fleeting photo opportunities at 30p.External Flash BurstA new feature supporting consecutive shooting with flash burst is available with an external flash that is capable of continuous emission. This includes the following Panasonic models:
- Flash Burst Compatible Models
* Discontinued models are compatible but have some restrictions due to slower charge speeds
The firmware will be available at the end of March 2016 from the following link:DOWNLOAD HERE
On a whim I set up the Swarovski scope to its lowest magnification at 30X. The camera was the Panasonic Lumix GH4 set at ISO 1600, and 1/60 sec shutter. The image when clicked on is the full frame from the camera 4680 X 3072 pixels. The adjustments made to the raw file are: highlight recovery of -29, white balance adjusted to 5700 Kelvin (to taste), noise reduction using Topaz Denoise version 6. A a touch of contrast and clarity to finish. All this in the hope the weather stays good and I can get a few images of Jupiter this weekend. I did not use a remote shutter release but will for the Jupiter images.
One week left for registrations to this once in a lifetime adventure. Best photo opportunities at an incredible price that can't be matched..June 11 - June 23, 2016This is a double adventure, Namibia alone, Botswana alone or both.The Namib Desert may well be the world's oldest desert. The Namib-Naukluft Park includes five main regions: Namib, Sandvis, Naukluft, Sesriem and Sossusvlei. The apricot-colored dunes at Sossusvlei are beautiful and photographic opportunities for landscapes abound. Herds of mountain zebra, gemsbok and springbok roam the area.Botswana is undoubtedly Southern Africa’s most prestigious safari destination where the landscape has an abundance of wildlife. From islands of and waterways of the Okavango Delta to the open savannah and woodlands of the Chobe National Park, Botswana is a nature and wildlife photographers heaven.During this exclusive photo safari we will explore and photograph the stunning African wildlife of Botswana. From the endangered Wild Dogs to Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Giraffes, Elephants and many deer, antelope, and birds we will have opportunities like no other.Our camps and lodges have been picked to maximize your experience where you will ride in vehicles with a single row assigned to each photographer.In-field photography instruction will be provided and during our down time we will conduct photo-critique sessions.
Next the strobes were adjusted to full power providing 8 additional stops of light. The ISO was adjusted to increase sensitivity by two stops while the aperture of the lens was kept at a constant f/2.0 for all the exposures. Each filter was tested for color cast only.
In this next image the Info Panel shows RGB values from the lower third of the image. Values are R=187, G=203, B=222
Next the image was white balanced in Lightroom WB to 8600 Kelvin and tint +43. Compensated for the color of the board and the lights the calculated readings are 7900 Kelvin and a +35 Tint adjustment.
In this next image the Info Panel shows RGB values from the lower third of the image. Values are R=209, G=220, B=212
Next the image was white balanced in Lightroom WB to 5750 Kelvin and tint +52. Compensated for the color of the board and the lights the calculated readings are 5050 Kelvin and a +44 Tint adjustment.
In this next image the Info Panel shows RGB values from the lower third of the image. Values are R=211, G=214, B=219
Next the image was white balanced in Lightroom WB to 5800 Kelvin and tint +13. Compensated for the color of the board and the lights the calculated readings are 5000 Kelvin and a +5 Tint adjustment.
Come and celebrate the wildlife of Africa, India and the USA by joining me on one or more of my photo tours and workshops. The photo opportunities are exceptional as are the locations. Each location is picked to give you the best experience.Namibia and Botswana - 2016Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons - 2016India - 2017Namibia and Botswana - 2017Iceland - 2017Tanzania - 2017
November 7 - 20, 2016This is an all inclusive trip - your international round trip airfare from JFK - New York, Newark, NJ or Atlanta is included.Myanmar formally Burma is one of those rare unspoiled locations photographic allure. The people exude warmth and their hospitality is is exceptional. The land has a certain magical feel and a place that you will definitely want to come back to.Our itinerary includes Yangon and its famous Pagodas, Mandalay, the ancient city of Bagan the land of over one thousand temples, Mount Popa and Inle Lake, where we will photograph local fishermen and local markets.. Each location has been selected to maximize photographic opportunities.
A 4 day 3 night photo workshop that includes lodging and site feesMid Spring in Cape Cod is a multi faceted photo opportunity with truly spectacular scenics and some wildlife. The tourists have not crowded the roads and traffic is not a nightmare. This very special workshop is for all levels of photographers from beginner to advanced. The Cape provides some of the most incredible landscapes and seascapes and the light during spring is exceptional. We will explore and photograph the Cape's classic sea shore, sand dunes, light houses and some wildlife (including migratory birds). We will determine schedules and locations based on weather forecasts, tides and sunrise/sunset times. We may even explore the opportunity to do some night photography.
Topaz releases DeNoise 6, an updated version of their excellent noise reduction software, complete with new features. As always, the update is free to anyone who already owns DeNoise. And for those who don’t own it, DeNoise 6 will be on sale ($30 off!) from February 24th – March 20th. Please use the coupon code "NOISEFREE" with you can take advantage of the discounted price of $49.99 (regularly $79.99).
