loveablan

I recently wrote about the photography class at the Barnsdall Art Center in Los Feliz:<BR><BR>

 

<A HREF="http://blog.blueroosterartsupplies.com/?p=57">http://blog.blueroosterartsupplies.com/?p=57</A>

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Most of their enlargers are for 35mm, though they have one that is setup for 120 medium format film. It's a fun place, with decent parking (most nights) and some lovely views of the Observatory across the way.<BR><BR>

 

As for large format developing, you may want to ask at <A HREF="http://translightcolors.com">Translight Colors</A>, a downtown L.A. darkroom, or the <A HREF="http://www.juliadean.com">Julia Dean Workshops</A> in Venice Beach. <BR><BR>

 

Happy printing!

I'm currently using the B&W darkroom at the Barnsdall Art Center (barnsdallart.com). Each seasonal semester, you can sign up for an open and uninstructed lab for people with previous darkroom experience for just $80. (The instructed class is $96, and also fun.) Check it out -- the hillside location is great (Los Feliz: Hollywood and Vermont) and has an amazing view of the Griffith Observatory.

 

I've tried calling the LA Photo Center a few times as well, and always get the recording too. It sounds great at $35/year membership fee - $5/hr darkroom fee (includes chemicals and use of equipment... paper not included). Now if only I could get in to actually check it out. :)

I use a similar setup (two studio strobes running on PocketWizards plus a small flash on a Wein hotshoe slave) and it works for me. The Wein sensor can be triggered by any other burst of light in the room, be it from a strobe, on-camera flash, etc.

 

One thing to note however is that my Wein hotshoe slave doesn't always fire my flash. Sometimes it's intermittent and I have to slide it around until it works. And today, after about a month of regular use, it seems to have completely crapped out on me and wont fire at all. Could just be a fluke, so I'm bringing it back for an exchange to try again. (If it still acts wonky after that, then I may have to suck it up and get another tranceiver.)

 

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Hey, the Think Tank Airport Security case looks just right, and that security cable is something I didn't even think of. That would be great both during transit and while on location.

 

And the backpack straps would be very handy on cobblestone streets. (I once had the hardest time trying to roll a hefty suitcase around in London.)

 

Thank you for the recommendation, Ellis! I'm sold. :)

I need to travel with my ABR800 AlienBees Ringflash soon.

 

Currently, I use a Delsey overnighter shoulder bag that's 14"x11"x14", with a

black velvet curtain to cushion it inside. The Delsey works just fine for local

gigs, it even fits the Moon Unit.

 

But now I have to take it on a plane and I feel like I should use something

sturdier like a hard case, preferably something rolling with wheels, and pluck

foam. (If I could squeeze my Powerbook in there, all the better.)

 

I would still prefer to keep it as carry-on if possible, but I'm open to cargo

storage if the case is strong enough to keep the bulbs safe despite rough

baggage handling.

 

So I'm looking into Pelican, Lightware, etc. Has anyone had any (good or bad)

experiences transporting strobes of any kind by plane cargo or overhead? What

kind of cases did you use?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Sweeet! I ordered one about 3 days ago, and I can't wait to get it. Looks great!

On some occasions you just have to make do with whatever you have around you. So I think grabbing a nearby cup is a good Macguyver solution in that situation. (I've been in nightclub scenarios before where that would be useful if I didn't have my Gary Fong Lightsphere with me.)

 

There's many neat homebrew flash modifiers out there, from the clear film canister to the index bounce card to the bowed tissue paper.

 

One that I use regularly is the DIY cardboard grid spot:

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/10/free-and-so-easy-diy-grid-spots-for.html

 

One that I'd like to try sometime is the paper mini bouncer: http://www.diyphotography.net/homestudio/blz/flash-mini-bouncer

 

Trying out all this DIY-modifier stuff is a great way to learn what you can and can't do in different lighting situations, and with just found household objects.

 

And whatever it is, be it a paper cup or your left nylon sock, if it works for you and your shooting style, then all the better.

 

Keep on experimenting and happy shooting! :)

I recently did an evening shoot where I couldn't get 4x8 bounce flats in time (nor could I even fit those in my car even if I could get them). So I hit up the local office supplies store and found white display boards (which are commonly used for office presentations, science fairs, etc) for just $9 for a set of two. The folded sides make them self-standing, and can also be used as barn-doors. So I just stacked two of them together with white gaffers tape to make a nice tall flat. It worked great. And after the shoot, the display boards very neatly folded and fit in the trunk of my sedan.

I've taken a few 2-3 day lighting workshops at Julia Dean Photo Workshops (http://www.juliadean.com) in Los Angeles, and have learned a lot each time. Their new 2007 course catalog should be available sometime in January.