C.S. Muncy is a freelance photojournalist based out of New York City with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. As a freelancer, he’s covered such subjects as the BP Oil Spill, the fight for same-sex civil rights, the takeover of the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a photographer with the New York Air National Guard.

Last year Sigma announced at Photokina an ambitious new line of high quality, professional lenses under their “Art” line-up. The concept was that Sigma would begin moving past its reputation as a mid-level third party company into a serious contender for professional photographer’s business. If their new 35mm 1.4 is any indication, they’ve wildly succeeded.

One of things you notice upon opening the box is the lens’ build quality. Unlike older Sigma lenses, which had a paint scheme that often flaked and peeled after heavy use, the burnished metal is solid and easy to hold while. It’s got enough texture to maintain a solid grip, which is a big thing when you’re shooting on the move, and the dark-grey color is muted enough not to draw unwanted attention. The only noticeable “bling” is the small chrome “A” (for Art) on the side, but even that’s pretty small. Even the glass is relatively small, with a filter-thread size of only 67mm. The hood is removable, and made of a solid dark plastic that locks easily and firmly into place.

After connecting it to various cameras, it quickly became apparent that this lens was going to get a lot of use in my kit. The autofocus is nearly silent, smooth, responsive and extremely fast. This proved important while covering some stories where I was literally running and shooting at the same time. The lens does do some searching in low light/contrast environments, but not so much that it caused me any serious problems.

The great thing about shooting wide open is that you can isolate your subjects from the rest of the background. Recently I was assigned to cover the “May Day” protests for the Village Voice. In previous years, I would shoot much wider and try to capture as many of the signs as possible. After several discussions with editors and other photographers I know and trust, I decided that this year I would try to avoid the signs. Good protest photos are all about emotions; this time I would try to capture faces and actions, and the lens worked perfectly for just that. It was wide enough that I could give the viewer a sense of where the person was and what was happening, but shooting at 1.4 allowed me to concentrate on specific points of interest. I’ve also included several other photos from recent stories and events I’ve covered with this lens below.

At almost a third less than Nikon or Canon’s the Sigma 35mm 1.4 is a great option for professional photographers. I really can’t recommend it enough.

FS GABRESKI ANG, NY – Security Forces members and augmentees with the 106th Rescue Wing’s Security Forces Squadron, along with support from student flight, conducts crowd control training at FS Gabreski ANG on May 5th, 2013. Photo by C.S. Muncy — Click to enlarge.

Photo by C.S. Muncy — Click to enlarge.

Photo by C.S. Muncy — Click to enlarge.

NEW YORK, NY – Students and faculty upset with the planned tuition increase at Cooper Union stage an occupation of the school president’s office in the East Village on May 9th, 2013. Photo by C.S. Muncy. — Click to enlarge

NEW YORK, NY – Students and faculty upset with the planned tuition increase at Cooper Union stage an occupation of the school president’s office in the East Village on May 9th, 2013. Photo by C.S. Muncy. — Click to enlarge

Born and raised on Chicago’s south side, Patrick Murphy-Racey, 48, holds a B.A. in Photojournalism from Marquette University. While in newspaper photography, worked at the Milwaukee Journal, The Palm Beach Post, The Fort Lauderdale News Sun-Sentinel, The Mesa Tribune, and the Knoxville News Sentinel. From 1992-2000, PM-R shot over 700 assignments for Sports Illustrated which include four covers (Rick Pitino, Dekembe Mutumbo, Peyton Manning, and Lane Kiffen). Beyond his extensive editorial photography, Patrick also shoots for advertising, industrial, corporate, and higher education clients such as the University of Tennessee, Adidas, Reebok, Ole Smoky Distillery, The McDonald’s Corporation, Lincoln Memorial University, and Dollywood. Patrick has been shooting HD video since 2005 which now comprises about 60% of his work. Patrick is an avid BMW adventure touring motorcyclist and has ridden in 36 States and all of the Provinces of Canada. He rode to the end of the Dalton Highway in Alaska North of the Arctic Circle in 2007 and to Happy-Valley/Goose Bay, Labrador in 2009.

Yongnuo… I know, I know, it sounds like an oriental island in some exotic locale, but it’s actually the name of a fast growing Chinese flash manufacturer that is making knock-off strobes that look and feel like anything branded with Nikon or Canon’s name. After a few shooters I know began to use these, I tried one myself by picking one up off of Amazon for $85. In short, I’m all in on these little dudes.

If you look at the photo of the flash, you will see the various focal lengths listed from 24-105mm. These also double as the power scale in manual mode for setting the output. You simply press the + button to get more power and the – to decrease it. So simple even I could figure it out as I hate reading the often comical instruction manuals translated in China. It’s actually much easier and faster than to hit + or – instead of trying to move through all the various modes on the name brand flash units, fighting with the mostly automated systems to get manual control.

On the side where you can plug in an external battery unit, there is a PC outlet just like on the Nikon strobes so you Canon people should be excited about this–connecting a pocket wizard is a cinch with a $4 cord.

But if you really want to be impressed, pick up a Yongnuo radio remote system for another $30 and just go wireless on the cheap . It makes shooting the D600 really make sense as there is no PC outlet, but I digress… In the S1 and S2 modes, the power still is controlled by the LED’s across the zoom range but a slave feature activates. This allows you to put many of them in a light bank set to sync with a main unit. The recycle time is very short even at full power; I’m using lithium AA’s in mine and have had no problems with it overheating so far. And this brings me to my last point: For the cost of one Nikon SB-910, you could afford to buy 9 of these 560′s and still have enough cash leftover to pick up a cheap radio remote.

Others will be quick to point out that there is a LCD (vs. LED) version of this called the 580II but I actually prefer the straight 560 because the LED’s are easier to see in bright sunlight and all of us have LCD’s that no longer work anymore — they don’t do so well getting knocked around. I believe that they are both the same output and performance–just the fancier back makes them cost more and get the II designation. So far, I have shot many portraits with the Yongnuo and both came out very well, considering the cost.
This is my Yongnuo 560 into a medium Chimera on a simple portrait assignment the other day. The light is consistent in terms of color temperature no matter where the power is set–another thing to like!

The other day I shot an assignment for the local law school in two places. The first location was all run and gun as a generous donor toured the school and the second location was a high ceiling, dark restaurant where they always put the podium against a wall of windows that looks out onto the river. Many people were there with DSLR’s as is the norm these days. One woman, who was shooting with a Rebel with an 85mm f/1.8, remarked to me, “you must get great photos with such an awesome camera.” I just smiled politely because the reason I was getting decent stuff wasn’t because of the D3s in my hands, it was because of my cheap Chinese flash/radio combo mounted on top of a C-stand. People slay me….

Dean Neistat was born and raised in CT. After he graduated from the University of South Carolina, he spent 7 years in the USAF flying the C-17. He completed his service in 2012 as a decorated Instructor Pilot with more than 500 combat hours and several deployments. He settled in NYC to pursue a career as a Stuntman, Actor and Photographer. He is represented by Polaris Images.

I’ve been looking for a proper messenger bag that comfortably and safely holds my DSLR and gear for a long time.  I’ve tried many but I think I found a winner with Tenba’s Small Messenger bag.

The build is impressive.  The 1000 Denier Nylon exterior feels and looks great. It’s the same material I trust to save my ass from road-rash if I ever crash my motorcycle.  I love the reinforced grab handle and the correctly sized zipper pulls.  The zippers are large and strong.  There’s no superfluous material to jam them and they make a great confidence-inducing rumble when you zip and unzip.  The hardware is strong, metal and practical.  The clips are easy to operate and sturdy.  The only thing I don’t like is the ‘ergonomic’ shoulder strap.  It’s uncomfortable in most normal carrying positions.

Tenba really though about functionality.  There’s a plethora of internal but easily accessible pockets as well as two zippered small pockets on the front flap and a large zippered document sleeve on the back side.  Inside, there’s a sleeve for a 15″ laptop and a large pocket insert that comfortably holds a body and 2 or 3 lenses.  Your gear is double protected by the lightly padded bag and the padded insert.  You can easily reconfigure the insert to suit your needs.  My favorite feature is the quick-access zipper that allows you to bypass the flap and reach directly into the bag to grab your camera in a hurry.

Tenba calls this the small messenger bag. That’s definitely misleading.  There’s nothing small about it.  It is the right size–the normal size for a messenger bag.  I can fit a stack of documents, a camera body, 2 lenses, a 15″ laptop, memory cards, batteries and assorted nick-nacks and still have room to stuff in a change of clothes for the gym.

I like this bag.  It fast became my everyday grab bag.  It’s too small for a scheduled shoot but for anything else, it’s golden.  I love the construction and function.  It’s not expensive and the variety of colors available (I went for burnt orange) make it a very attractive purchase.  My only gripe is with the shoulder strap.  I much prefer a standard non-ergonomic, NON-anti-slip shoulder strap that lets me to slide the bag wherever, whenever I want.  But, that is one small complaint about an otherwise solid bag.

C.S. Muncy is a freelance photojournalist based out of New York City with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. As a freelancer, he’s covered such subjects as the BP Oil Spill, the fight for same-sex civil rights, the takeover of the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a photographer with the New York Air National Guard.

Last year I was covering the NATO / G8 protests in Chicago when one of the protesters made a grab for one of my cameras. Another protester had been hit by a police car, and I was photographing the response when this lanky, bearded fellow snuck up behind me and grabbed at my D3, tugging and pulling as hard as he could.

I responded in a less than diplomatic manner.

That evening, after getting back to my hotel room I noticed that the lug connecting the camera to the sling had cracked, and would not have taken much more abuse. Thankfully, I always try to have a back-up carabiner attached, but the fact that a name brand item like that could break left me somewhat unsettled. What if he hadn’t given up so easily? What if somebody else made a grab for it?

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m always on the lookout for gear that can take a beating. I look for items that will take a stomping and keep on working. These kind of accessories aren’t always easy to find as there aren’t a lot of jobs that call for this level of protection. Recently, I came across a Kickstarter fundraiser for David Fliger’s “Fusion Plate,” and it seemed to be just the sort of thing I was looking for.

The great thing about modern camera slings is their ease of use. Like a gunslinger’s pistol from the Old West, the camera is always at reach and simple to grab. The downside is that the lug (the point connecting the strap to the camera) always protrudes, making it sometimes awkward to put down without removing. The great thing about the Fusion Plate is that the lug folds down, but is made from precision milled aluminum so it feels incredibly solid. It also features Arca-Swiss standard measurements, so you don’t have to remove it in order to mount it on a tripod or gimbal. The review sample I was sent connects via a hex-wrench and nut- I personally would have preferred something that would be easier to attach and remove in the field, but I can see why Mr Fliger went with this. The nut is smaller and less likely to accidentally spin free, and the hex-wrench means you can firmly secure it.

The Fusion Plate Accessory will be available in several colors, and can be had via its Kickstarter page for $68 dollars.

Employed as a contract photojournalist for The Post-Tribune, part of Chicago’s Sun Times News Group, since 2004, Guy Rhodes‘ highlights include covering the 2008 U.S. presidential election, as well as flying with aerobatic teams during coverage of the annual Gary South Shore Air Show. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater/Lighting Design at Columbia College in Chicago, and splits his lighting disciplines between shows for live audiences and lighting for the camera. As director of photography, Guy has completed numerous independent short and feature films, as well as music videos and industrials.

Throughout my photographic exploits, I’ve always embraced the odd and unusual. When appropriate for the given subject, unique optics or imaging systems can transform the mundane into something quite special. Technical flaws? Let me have them! Strange lens artifacts? Sign me up! The Lensbaby line of optics is one of the premiere systems available today where optical “flaws” can be embraced and made part of the story within the image.

I’ve never shied away from using Lensbaby products to capture subjects that have an ethereal or other worldly quality, such as the abandoned church I chose as my subject to test the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, including the Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic (pictured above), and the Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic.

Not surprisingly, I owned one the original Lensbaby units back in 2004, upgrading in 2006 to the Lensbaby 2.0. Both of these units featured physical aperture discs that had to be switched out with a special tool, to control both (of course) the depth of field as well as the amount of “Lensbaby effect” that was introduced into the frame. Both of those units also required one to pull or push on a plastic tube to control the focus in the image, while bending the same tube to determine where the “sweet spot” of focus landed.

The Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic has a linear plane of focus similar to what you’d find in a tilt shift lens. In this image, I’ve set the focal plane to go from the top left to the bottom right. The Edge 80 Optic is actually a viable replacement for a more expensive tilt shit, when used for the focus effect only (not so much perspective control).

The Lensbaby system has grown up quite a bit since those days. The newer Optic Swap system, as its name implies, allows you to switch between Lensbaby optics with different focal lengths. There’s no more switching aperture discs – that’s built-in now just like a traditional lens. There’s no more bending, pushing, and pulling a tube for focus, either. The Composer Pro unit holds your focus and sweet spot exactly where you want it, freeing up your hands to stabilize the camera and release the shutter.

The Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic has a round “sweet spot” of focus in the classic Lensbaby style, which I’ve placed on the three windows near the top center of this frame.

The Pro Effects kit that I reviewed is comprised of the Composer Pro (holds the lens, adjusts focus and sweet spot location), the Sweet 35 Optic, the Edge 80 Optic, a macro converter, as well as a cleaning cloth and a bag. While the bag is great for keeping everything organized away from the shoot, it isn’t very practical when you’re actually shooting. I found the included shoulder strap didn’t have enough rubber padding to keep it in place on my shoulder, and the bag fell off again and again as I held my camera up to shoot. I eventually took off the bag off my shoulder and set it on the ground. There is a way to attach the bag to your belt, placing the opening of the bag up towards you to facilitate easy optic changes, though I didn’t try this (the belt for my jeans was under my winter coat).

I found the Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic great for isolating interesting architectural elements on the walls of the sanctuary. Obviously, this technique could be used to isolate anything, and in a way very unique from traditional lenses.

The modular design of the system allows you to switch optics in and out of the Composer Pro unit, which I’m sure makes the kit more economical. Be forewarned, however, that removing the optics from the Composer Pro the first time is daunting to say the least. I spent about 15 minutes my first time around trying to free the Edge 80 Optic from the Composer Pro. I’ll save you my trouble and provide these links to videos on how to change each of the lenses included in this kit. I guarantee you’re going to need to watch them (preferably before you even touch the kit).

http://lensbaby.com/videos-instructional/sweet35-remove

http://lensbaby.com/videos-instructional/edge80-removal

With that said, Lensbaby does provide these clear videos to make things easier on you. My conundrum with the Edge 80 was compounded by the fact that I inserted the lens into the Composer Pro upside down, so the marks on the lens weren’t lining up with those on the Composer Pro necessary to facilitate a proper release. Once you get the hang of all this, however, you can swap optics in the field in seconds without even looking at what you’re doing, but the first couple of times for me were quite difficult and slow.

The Lensbaby Edge 80 Optic does suffer from some chromatic aberration against extreme areas of contrast (seen here as the yellow and blue fringes on the leaded glass in the bottom half of the frame). I probably could have corrected this during my RAW conversion, but I decided to leave it to illustrate what the lens did right off the camera.

The built-in aperture within each of the optics controls depth of field as well as the degree of the “Lensbaby effect” you end up with. I don’t see much point in using these lenses without the effect being pronounced (clean images are what traditional lenses are for), so most of the images I shot in this review were shot with the apertures wide open for the maximum effect. It is nice to have the aperture built in, however, so the amount of effect can be dialed in live and to taste. Of course, since there’s no mechanical or electronic link between your camera and the Lensbaby apertures, as you stop down the lens, your viewfinder will become much darker (as it would be when holding down the depth of field preview button using a traditional lens).

The Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic shot wide open at f/2.5 provides the maximum “Lensbaby effect”, and is quite pronounced on a full frame camera body.

While we’re on the topic of no links with the camera, of course, there’s no autofocus here either, so you’ll have to revert back to your days of manually focusing (if you’re even old enough to remember doing that). The warped effect that these lenses produce can make it difficult to judge critical sharpness in the sweet spot of focus, so some extra care and time are needed when setting up a shot. I actually appreciated this aspect of the kit. I had to slow down and really take care when shooting, which was quite relaxing, and a nice departure from whiz-bang back-button flawless autofocus.

The Lensbaby Macro Converter for the system functions as an extension tube would with traditional 35mm lenses, and allows you to focus quite close! I didn’t have much opportunity to extensively test it, but the converter allowed me to use the Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic to get a very detailed photo of one of the grout lines in the sanctuary’s floor tiles.

Overall, the optics in this kit were quite sharp, certainly on par with traditional 35mm lenses. The contrast and color were right in line with what I’ve come to expect from professional lenses – these aren’t toys. With a price tag of $750.00 for this kit, I’d expect nothing less. The flexibility and repeatability that the Composer Pro and Optic Swap systems allow (when compared with more economical Lensbaby product offerings) makes this a fair price to pay for a well-built kit that will serve you for many years to come.

When the subject supports it, the Lensbaby Optic Swap System is a great way to capture unique images that stand apart from traditional lenses.

The Lowepro Flipside Sport 15L AW camera bag is sleek, clean and well-designed (the high-visibility orange is pretty cool, too). After closely inspecting this bag at home and putting it to the test in the field, it’s clear that Lowepro has designed a bag that’s built to last. They’ve thoughtfully considered every aspect of the design with the photographer in mind, and have
come up with some really helpful features!

Not too big, not too small — it’s just the right size for me to grab my gear and head out to the middle of nowhere. I’d use this bag while rock climbing with buddies, covering a snowboarding event, or even on commercial jobs. This is one of the coolest bags I have used yet, and I can’t wait to go riding with it in the mountains this summer. It will definitely be my new go-to outdoor pack! I can focus on what’s in front of my lens instead of worrying about my gear.

Read on for more about the awesome features of this bag!

Interior Organization:

The size of the bag is perfect for on-location shoots. It’s big enough to hold all the true essentials like water and pro gear, but is small enough to allow you to move around quickly outdoors without weighing you down. It fits a pro dSLR with a grip and a 300mm f/2.8 lens (every sports shooter’s favorite combo) plus 2-3 more lenses. I have been packing it up with the combo of a pro dSLR, a few lenses, tons of CF Cards, my HoodLoupe and extra batteries. When it’s really cold out, I pack hand warmers in there to keep my gear warm and my batteries from dying. There’s also a cool fold out pocket which can carry business cards, model releases and other odds and ends. Everything is so easy to get to! This bag can get you way into the backcountry with everything you need to capture that perfect moment.

Tripod Attachment:

The first time I put my tripod on this bag, I thought to myself, “Why aren’t all bags like this?!”  The system is simple but ingenious: hook a tripod to this pack and you can be sure it won’t budge an inch. To me, this opens a lot of possibilities, like skiing faster or getting to a better vantage point without having to leave the tripod behind. My last pack didn’t have a tripod attachment, and I can’t imagine what I did without it all those years! Additionally, the weight of the tripod on one side of the pack is balanced out by my water on the other side, making the pack very balanced and comfortable when you’re out moving around all day.

Hydration System:

Anyone who spends time outdoors knows how important it is to stay hydrated! The water hydration system on this pack is yet another great and well thought out feature. It fits a 1 liter water bladder inside a specially designed pocket, which has an opening for your drinking hose to come out the side and down your shoulder, for fast access. I haven’t used this feature in the summer months yet, but for my winter weather test I was pleased to see that I can wrap my hose in the neoprene sleeve, so the water doesn’t freeze as quickly. My water still froze a few times, but this was more of an issue with my hose, and not a problem with the Lowepro pack.

Breathable Straps:

The shoulder straps are exactly what you’d expect from a top of the line pack: they are fully adjustable and fit very well. I especially liked the snugness of the top strap, which helps keep the shoulder straps close together so you can move around without fidgeting with your straps. The less these packs bounce around the better, especially when you’re skiing! The straps are made of a nice foam material, covered in mesh, with holes punched in it for breathability. So far I have only used the pack during freezing winter weather, but I’m sure this will keep my shoulders cool while I’m out in the mountains this summer.

All-Weather Cover:

The all weather cover is rad! I was skeptical at the beginning, so I put it to the test in a few snow storms at 10,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains. I buried the pack, left it outdoors, and watched from the warmth of my living room as the fresh pow piled high. In the morning, I dug out the pack and watched the snow slide right off. I haven’t tested the pack in a big rain storm yet, but I’m looking forward to ditching the heavy duty trash bags I’ve used in the past to keep my gear dry!

Reverse Entry:

The first thing I noticed about the Lowepro Flipside Sport 15L AW was that the zipper to get into the bag was on the opposite side of any other bag I have ever seen. I was confused by this feature at first, thinking maybe it was a fail-safe in case the zipper broke and your gear fell out, or maybe just a cool-looking design choice. Why else put the zipper against your back? Five minutes into my first shoot with this pack, I understood. I’d loaded up the pack, grabbed my skis, and headed up the Rock Mountains. I found a great location, threw the pack down in the snow and grabbed my camera. Normally, I’d have to spend a few minutes beating the snow off my bag afterward. Not with this pack! I just picked it up, watched the snow slide off, and put it right back on and kept skiing. No freezing-cold snow down my jacket, no snow-packed shoulder straps. Pure genius. Bravo Lowepro!

C.S. Muncy is a freelance photojournalist based out of New York City with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. As a freelancer, he’s covered such subjects as the BP Oil Spill, the fight for same-sex civil rights, the takeover of the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a photographer with the New York Air National Guard.

One of the biggest problems in being a photographer in New York is that you’re constantly competing against a host of other shooters. Cover enough events, crime scenes or accidents and you know that the market here is, sometimes literally, flooded with news shooters.

This can make standing out to your editors problematic. With the flood of cameras and cell phones out there, it’s no longer about being able to produce solid shots in a timely manner, now you have to do so while offering something that that nobody else can.

I started seriously thinking about this after Hurricane Sandy. More specifically, after visiting several areas that had been hit hard by the storm and fires. From the ground, it was difficult to show the wide patches of destruction. The view offered was essentially whatever was right in front of you. After visiting Breezy Point, I started thinking about ways to shoot from overhead. Traditionally, this meant either renting a helicopter (which was prohibitively expensive for freelance shooters like myself) or catching a ride on a National Guard aircraft. As a photographer with the Air Guard, such a thing could be a potential conflict of interest, so that was a path I couldn’t pursue.

Breezy Point made me realize that I needed a third option, so I started looking into remote-controlled aircraft. Most multi-rotor systems are extremely expensive, at least those large enough to carry a DSLR, so that option was out. After a bit of research, I started looking at the Storm Drone FF from HeliPal. At less than $400 with shipping, and able to mount both point and shoot cameras and my GoPro Hero3, it seemed like the best system out there.

After placing my order and waiting two weeks, it finally arrived and was ready for assembly and use. No, putting it together wasn’t simple but it wasn’t especially difficult. It really looked more complicated than it really was. My biggest issue with putting it together was that the hex wrench they supplied with it was made from a relatively soft metal and stripped after a few turns. You’re better off using a US made hex wrench set.

As somebody with almost not RC handling experience, I found the drone to be relatively easy to learn. The instructions weren’t too hard to follow (your best bet is to look them up on YouTube, as the company puts out a great series of instructional videos on how to prep your vehicle) and I was up an running fairly quickly.

Now, please understand that “up and running” is not the same as being proficient. While I was able to use this in my backyard and get it to move and hover without too many problems, it can be incredibly easy to lose track of your direction or the amount of thrust you’re giving it and lose control. This morning I accidentally did this and chipped a rotor.

This brings me to my next point: do yourself  favor and buy some carbon fiber rotors at the same time as the aircraft itself. If you break a rotor, it’s good to have them on hand rather than having to wait an additional two to three weeks for replacements to ship from overseas. They’re not terribly expensive, and they’ll stand up to the hard landings better than the plastic ones that come with it. There are also a few other items I’m investing in as well: the DJI Naza Multirotor Gyro System and the matching GPS module. These will allow the Storm to hover more efficiently, and can help when you lose control with its “Auto Return Home” option.

It’s important to know when picking this up that it’s not appropriate for every kind of story. I bought this mostly for covering large-scale disaster scenes, not for every day shooting in the city. I can’t even imagine trying to cover a protest with one of these; it’d be a toss-up between whether a cop or a protester would try knocking it down. I also don’t want to make people feel uncomfortable or like I’m violating their privacy. A device like this can be easily abused, but like any other piece of photo gear, it’s use as a tool of good or bad is entirely in the hands of its operator.

C.S. Muncy is a freelance photojournalist based out of New York City with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. As a freelancer, he’s covered such subjects as the BP Oil Spill, the fight for same-sex civil rights, the takeover of the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a photographer with the New York Air National Guard.

One of the most difficult things about shooting on the run is knowing how to parse down your gear to the absolute necessities. If you’re sitting for hours in a car driving from one scene to the next with no idea of what to expect, it doesn’t help to be weighed down by fifty pounds worth of accessories you don’t really need. Typically, this means two bodies (sometimes three, though not usually,) three lenses and some kind of support with at least one pocket in my Chestvest in reserve for items like a police scanner, notepad, batteries or protein bars.

The thing that tends to stick out most in this collection is usually the support. Even the lightest tripods are too bulky to regularly carry with you, and (up until now) all of my monopods have been too long to keep strapped to my vest or at my belt. Recently though, Induro sent me their CM25 Carbon Monopod for testing, and so far I’ve been very impressed. Unlike my personal monopod, it folds down to an extremely small size (it’s less than 17 inches collapsed and 58 inches fully extended) and doesn’t hang off my hip like a cavalry saber when I’m on the move. Also, while aluminum or magnesium monopods are relatively sturdy, they really don’t hold a cup of water when compared to the saved weight and strength that carbon fiber does. It even comes with a great nylon holster that keeps it tied securely to your body; my old monopod I would attach with a carabiner clip that would inevitably smack against my thigh or camera. The thread mount is also reversible, meaning you can use it to attach directly to any camera, or to attach to a ball or video head.

My only point of contention comes from the rotating locks. Rotating segment locks are not at all unusual and offer a bit of protection when compared to tab locks (I’ve broken several over the last few years) but they also take an extra moment to extend. In my line of work, every second counts. It’d be nice if there was some kind of middle ground, but for what you’re getting in terms of durability this is an extremely minor quibble.

That said, at $110 the CM25 is an extremely sound investment. If you do a lot of work involving low-light photography (like news, sports or concert shooting) a monopod can mean the difference between a blurry image and a tack sharp shot you’ll feel comfortable sending to your editors.

C.S. Muncy is a freelance photojournalist based out of New York City with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. As a freelancer, he’s covered such subjects as the BP Oil Spill, the fight for same-sex civil rights, the takeover of the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a photographer with the New York Air National Guard.

From time to time I get editorial and portrait assignments from my editors, and the majority of these stories I’m required to shoot at a specific location; someplace that connects back to the story. Shooting like this in New York City can sometimes be difficult, and you can’t always carry around a complete studio setup. Between the battery, stands and heads, it can prove problematic to light a scene the way you want. For the most part, I get around this by packing a couple of SB-900′s and SB-800 flashes and take advantage of Nikon’s Creative Lighting System and for light modifiers, I often use collapsing softboxes and reflectors. Much of the time, though, these can be uncomfortably bulky.

A few weeks ago I was sent a new light modifier, the SpinLight 360. Unlike other modifiers, this design is unique in that it has a basic breech-lock mount that remains attached to the flash and offers a series of different attachments that you can easily remove and reattach. The kit I received came with a:

1) Snoot
2) Half Dome
3) White Full Dome
4) Clear Full Dome
5) Several black bounce cards
6) Several white bounce cards
7) Several gel disks

One thing I immediately liked about this setup was that the ring assembly, which kept the modifiers and domes to the flash, locked firmly to the flash head and remained in place. The velcro tied around the head and rubberized grip meant that I could pick up the whole setup (minus the camera) by the assembly and not have to worry about it coming loose or dropping. The ring assembly also allowed me to mount several modifiers: for example, if I wanted to hit the subject with diffused light from one side, without lighting up the rest of the room, I can mount a bounce card behind the white dome and direct it as desired.

The best part of the SpinLight system is its simplicity. For photographers who work primarily in editorial and location portrait work, you can tie the assembly down and forget it. It’s not huge, it’s not super bulky- you can carry a couple of them around in a basic bag and be ready to shoot in minutes. There’s no ridiculous setup time eating into your shooting schedule. It’s also not nearly as likely to draw undesirable attention to you like a portable umbrella or softbox might.

I do have one or two minor issues with it. The bottom of the ring assembly appears to allow a small amount of light to leak out, and while this loss is in all likelihood negligible, when you’re shooting in a low light environment you want to be able to control and direct every stray bit of light exactly where you want. In addition, I’m incredibly rough on my gear. People who follow my reviews and articles know that I put my equipment through a phenomenal amount of abuse. The plastic used is sturdy enough for 99% of all shooters out there, but I would have liked plastic that’s a little less crisp. Plastic that’s slightly more malleable is less likely to fracture under a hard impact. Of course, these are incredibly minor complaints in the long run, but I would love to see them addressed in future models.

For any shooters looking to take full advantage of their flashes and wireless lighting systems should consider adding SpinLight 360 to their equipment harem. They’ve just recently added several grid modifiers, and I definitely look forward to anything else they’ve got on the horizon.

C.S. Muncy is a freelance photojournalist based out of New York City with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, The New York Daily News and The Village Voice. As a freelancer, he’s covered such subjects as the BP Oil Spill, the fight for same-sex civil rights, the takeover of the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin and Occupy Wall Street. A graduate of the Defense Information School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 2002 and is currently a photographer with the New York Air National Guard.

Last year I was assigned to cover Air Force firefighter training, involving a simulator aircraft that could be lit and re-lit using high capacity propane tanks. The purpose of the training was to show both Air Force and civilian firefighters how to successfully extract victims from a burning aircraft, as well as how to extinguish the flames.

I’ll be covering the same training this week, and intend to use what I’ve learned in the last year to try and shoot stronger photos. Instead of simply going for the action shots (though I’ll still try for those, of course) I’ll also try for the quieter moments. No more “spraying and praying,” instead I will take what I’ve learned from my editors, teachers and colleagues to try and “wait for the moment.”

At the same time, there are some safety concerns to take into account. The aircraft burns at well over a thousand degrees, and can seriously damage gear and exposed skin if you’re not paying attention. The trick is to keep an eye on the source of the fire and the other firefighters working around you. If they’re backing off, it might be a good time to do the same.

I’ve put together my “bag list” of gear for the next week. For this assignment, I’ll be packing:

1) Firefighting jacket, helmet, gloves and (not pictured) boots, mask and pants.
2) Nikon D3
3) Nikon D600
4) Nikon 24-70 2.8 AF-S
5) Nikon 85mm 1.4 AF-D
6) Nikon 50mm 1.4 AF-D
7) Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR AF-S
8) Lensbaby Composer
9) GoPro Hero3
10) Hasselblad XPan
11) Mixed 35mm film (mostly a 50/50 mix of Kodak TMax and Fuji Sensia 100 slide film.)
12) First aid kit (not pictured)
13) Rain cover (not pictured)

The last item’s pretty important. Last year, as I approached the fire with the rest of the team, the trucks behind us hosed us down to help keep us cool. Thankfully, the D3 is pretty water-sealed, but that’s not the sort of thing I’d like to put to the test unnecessarily. The downside to that is that you have to keep an eye on all of your items to make sure it’s not getting so hot that your gear reaches their failure points.