 _MSP0859Max Stansell Photography
Hey everyone! I know it's been a while, but I have been busy the last month or so. First, I purchased a small Teardrop camper and then I had a wedding that I was the main photographer in. I have never been the official photographer at a wedding before. I have done bridal shoots and shot at receptions, but never the whole thing. I prepared quite a bit and really worked hard to make sure that it was a great experience for the bride and groom. A friend from my photography club wanted some experience shooting a wedding, so he asked if he could be my second shooter. After I got the okay from the bride, he was in. I met with the bride and groom twice before the big day. The first meeting was to get to know them and let them know me and see some of my work. I quoted them a price, and in a couple of days they had decided to hire me.
 _MSP0676Max Stansell Photography
This was about a month or so out, so I had plenty of time to get in the wedding photographer mode. For me that is a 180-degree turn from the landscape and travel photo guy that I am most of the time. My second meeting was the night of the rehearsal, and it was great because I got to go through the ceremony twice so I knew where to stand and where to go. The rehearsal was great for me and took away a lot of pressure and anxiety that I was having, and I got to see everyone that was going to be in the ceremony. On the day of the wedding, I had a checklist made, and I checked it twice so that when it came time to go I was ready. We had decided to do the formal shots before the wedding, so I started with the groom. There was lots of family around, and the bride kicked everyone out so we could get the first look photo which turned out great. After that I took all of the bride's photos and then started with the family.
 _MSP0820Max Stansell Photography
By the time the ceremony began, I was in the groove and it went well. My partner was taking photos that I wasn't, and we worked very well as a team. When I was at one end of the hall, he was at the other. We made a point of not taking the same shots. We got a lot of photos, but not many duplicates. When I got home and started looking at the photos, I was very surprised at how good the photos turned out. I have given the bride and groom a link to look at the photos while they are on their honeymoon, but I haven't gotten a response from them yet. I can't wait to hear what they have to say. I created a slide show of the wedding for them and will have a link below so that you can check it out. The equipment that I used was my faithful Nikon D800, and my primary lens was my 24-70mm f2.8, although I did use a 70-200mm f2.8 and a 85mm f1.8. For the formal part of the shoot, I used Yongnuo 580II manual flashes with 45 and 43 inch shoot-through umbrellas. For the rest of the wedding, except for the ceremony, I had a Yongnuo 586 TTL flash on top of my camera. This was an inside wedding, and at night and I had to bump up the flash compensation 2/3 bouncing off of a fairly tall ceiling. For the dancing part of the wedding, I used my TTL flash with a manual flash used for backlight that turned out really well. Things I would have done differently? I would have synchronized my camera's time and my second shooter's camera time. It would have made editing somewhat easier. And maybe a better job on the formals, but overall I was very pleased. Check out the slideshow!
Keep shooting!
Wedding Slide Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZUlWsLjFXA
 _MSP0658Max Stansell Photography
 _MSP0883Max Stansell Photography
 414BFcFy2sL
Hey, Everyone! This is another product review. This week it's on Speedlight Triggers. I have triggers that I use for my speed lights and my studio lights. But the ones I have are manual only, and I don't have the flexibility with the ones I have to turn certain flashes off without going to the flash to do so. I'm shooting a wedding next month. For the reception I'm going to have some speed lights on stands to create some backlight, and I'll have a flash on my camera for main light. The backlight flashes will be on opposite corners, and I want to be able to switch the closest one to me off without having to go to the flash. I just want to push a button on the trigger on my camera to do that for flexibility. I'm looking into a lot of options to do this. With Pocket Wizards I could do this, but Pocket Wizards are very expensive. I turned to my favorite inexpensive speed light company, Yongnuo, for the answer. I purchased the Yongnuo 622N TTL transceivers and the 622 TX TTL transmitter. I got three transceivers and the transmitter for the same price of one Pocket Wizard.
 _DSC6273
Now I normally use manual only flashes for all of my portraits etc., but for gun-on-the-run type of shooting for receptions I want to use TTL on my camera. The Yongnuo 622N lets me put the trigger on my camera, and then I can put my TTL flash on it. It has a pass through hot shoe so all of the information from my camera goes to my TTL trigger and flash at the same time. I can then set up other flashes elsewhere and transmit TTL to them. I can also adjust the power of each flash independently from my camera without going to the flash itself, as long as the flashes are TTL. I can use the same setup with a TTL on my camera and manual flashes remotely, and the manual flashes will fire. I still have to set the power on them manually though. This is the setup that I'm going to use for the reception. I'll have a 622n on camera with TTL flash on top of it. Then I'll have manual flashes mounted on stands and group them, one on "A" Channel and one on "B" Channel. Then from the trigger on my camera, I'll be able to change the channels to cut on or off certain remote flashes. Problem solved!!! This is all done with the transceivers one alone, but with the 622N TX transmitter on my camera, I can also control the individual settings of TTL remote flashes. I won't be using the 622N TX at the wedding, but I went ahead and got it because it will come in useful for small shoots like Christmas photos or something I'm trying to do real quick when I don't have time to really set up a big set. I do believe for studio lighting and formal portraits I'll still rely on my manual flashes and strobe so I can dial in my exposure manually. Triggers can be bought for both Cannon and Nikon camera systems.
 _DSC6277
Here are the specifications for the Triggers
Transceiver
Features:
Compatible flash mode: i-TTL, manual flash
Compatible Shutter sync: Front-curtain sync, rear-curtain sync and high-speed sync (HSS / FP), the highest sync speed is 1 / 8000s.
Support FEC, FVL function
Support modeling flash and red-eye reduction flash
Support flash zooming (auto)
Built-in AF assist beam emitter (AF Lamp)
Settings saved automatically
Compatible with Yongnuo / Nikon series flashes
Support PC port triggering strobe flashes
Specifications:
System Type: Digital FSK 2.4GHz wireless transceiver
Distance: 100m
Channel: 7
Flash Mode: i-TTL manual flash
SYNC Mode: Front-curtain sync, rear-curtain sync, hi-speed sync (Auto FP)
Group Control: 3Groups (A / B / C)
Sync Speed: 1 / 8000s
Input: Hot Shoe
Output: Hot shoe, PC port
Compatible type of flash: Hot-shoe flash, Strobe flash
Battery: AAx2 (support 1.2V rechargeable battery)
Transmitter
YN-622N-TX adopts flexible LCD menu control, supporting mixed use of the A/B/C three groups of flashes using i-TTL, manua, or super sync flash mode and equipped with the AF-assist beam emitter. LCD screen display, multi-buttons quick operation
The firmware can be upgraded through the USB interface via http://yongnuo.com.cn/usermanual/pdf/YN-622N_TX_FW_V1.03.zip
Support wireless shutter release function
The focal length(zoom)of the A/B/C three groups of flash can be adjusted separately
Grouping flash mode: i-TTL/Manual flash/Super sync
Supporting mixed use of the A/B/C three groups of flashes with i-TTL, Manual flash, or Super sync flash mode
The exposure compensation or flash output of A/B/C three groups of flashes can be adjusted separately
Shutter Sync: first curtain sync, second curtain sync and FP high-speed sync, the highest sync speed is 1/8000s
Support exposure compensation, flash value lock function(FVL)
Support simulate (modeling) flash, red-eye reduction flash
Support the flash zooming (auto)
Super Sync (SS) time delay adjustment, for higher x-sync speed than the camera allows
Hope this Helped and Keep Shooting!
 41zl9yX4ltL
Hey, Everyone! I just got booked to do a small intimate wedding for one of my daughter's co-workers and friends, so I had to take a look at my gear that I'll need for the event. As many of you might know, I am a gear hound and have had GAS (gear acquisition syndrome). I have lots of gear and almost everything I'll need for the wedding and love shooting in manual with manual strobes or studio lights for many reasons. This is what I'll use for the portraits. For on-the-fly lighting, I'll need to be shooting TTL lighting just for the ease and flexibility the the on-the-fly shooting that will be happening at the reception. This is a totally inside event, and it will be at night. I have a couple of Nikon TTL flashes, but they are smaller ones. I fear this venue has a tall ceiling and I'll need something with more punch!
 _MSP6505
So I needed a larger TTL flash. Well, the Nikon ones cost up to $500, and I'm not going to do that! I could borrow one, but I really don't like to borrow unless I really have to. (I will be borrowing a Nikon D800 body for my second camera.) So I started looking at 3rd party flashes. I went to the Yongnuo brand because I have some experience with the brand. I have used and will use in the wedding some manual 560II flashes that I have gotten from them, and they have worked great and were cheap! I purchased a TTL 568 EX and have been very pleased with it so far. This weekend I have been trying out the different aspects of the flash, testing it against my other flashes (Nikon), and it has done pretty well with ease of operation. I cannot talk about the durability of the flash yet. Maybe after the wedding I'll be able to because it will get a good workout then. Here are some of the specs of the Flash.
Guide # of 58 - I don't know all of the math, but the higher the number the more powerful the flash.
LCD Pannel- Easy to see and can be backlit at any time by push of button
TTL Wireless- Will work wirelessly with Nikon/Cannon infrared "in Camera" lighting IE Nikon's CLS
Auto Focus Assist- Has a red autofocus assist light for low-light focusing
+- 5 stop flash compensation- able to increase or decrease for different lighting situations
High Speed Sync- Will high speed sync up to 1/8000 shutter speed
Manual operation- Able to adjust from 1/128 to 1/1 power in manual
Rear Curtain Sync- will do rear curtain sync
Cost- $100 Yay!!!
These are some of the specs of the flash. There are more, but these and especially the price are my favorite! If you are needing a new or second TTL flash, I would recommend this one to you. Remember, when you buy it needs to be specific to your camera (i.e. Nikon or Cannon).
Keep shooting!
 _MSP6507
 The CapitolMax Stansell Photography
Hey, Everyone! I'm really starting to like photo walks. Last weekend my wife and I went to Fayetteville, North Carolina,
 Hay LoftMax Stansell Photography
to the Airborne Special Operations Museum and downtown Fayetteville. I have worked in Fayetteville (well, really Fort Bragg) for the last 10 years. I've even done work on the museum. But I was always in the back part of the museum and had never seen what it had to offer. I was really surprised at how nice the exhibits were and really enjoyed myself. And the price was right! Free! After the Museum visit, we walked around downtown on Hay Street (the older part of Fayetteville) and even went to Market House, which is the symbol of the town. I liked it so much that I'm thinking of taking another trip before too much longer.
 Airborne MuseumMax Stansell Photography
 Old and NewMax Stansell Photography
 Airborne MuseumMax Stansell Photography
 Crab PotsMax Stansell Photography
This weekend I went on a wildlife photoshoot at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge with my photography club. We usually go on workshops to shoot once a month, and this month we went on a wildlife shoot. At this particular spot is a bird migration spot for many water fowl. Water fowl of all kinds migrate here from up north. Tundra Swans, Canadian Geese, Snow Geese, and many species of duck also migrate here. This time of the year it's a great place to take photos of birds. Neal Jernigan, a local wildlife photographer who leads workshops (and is also a member of the club), took us there. We had a great time, although the Snow Geese had already left for the north. But we still had lots to shoot.
 PelicanMax Stansell Photography
Birds, ducks, landscapes, and all kinds of stuff. We started at Lake Pungo and saw some birds, but not like we saw last year. Last year we saw tens of thousands of birds in one field. We also saw some bear last year, but alas they weren't around this year. Because the wildlife at Pungo wasn't great, we went to Engelhard, North Carolina, a fishing community, and took some great shots by the docks of the shrimp boats. We then had lunch at a local restaurant that was great. We always try to eat at a local spot. We then went to Lake Mattamuskeet and shot birds until it was time to shoot the sunset. A super day was had.
 Mattamuskeet SunsetMax Stansell Photography
Now, I'm not a wildlife photographer, and this is a chance to get me out of my comfort zone. Wildlife photographers use a lot of large lenses, and my biggest one is my 70-200mm f2.8. I do have a 2 X converter that will make it a 400mm f5.6 lens, which is still on the small size for wildlife photographers. What's good about going out with a group is that you can borrow equipment and learn from people who do different kinds of photography. Most photographers love to give advice, help others, and talk about how they do things. (We don't really get the chance to do so.)
 White HeronMax Stansell Photography
Shooting wildlife seems to be all about getting good focus. With the long telephoto lenses, you would think that it's easy to get great focus all the time, but you would be wrong. It's very difficult to get focus on a fast-moving object like a bird or moving animal. I have nothing but respect for the wildlife photographer who can get great focus on a fast-flying bird. And not to mention composition on a moving target is almost impossible for me, but to the seasoned wildlife photographer it can be done easily.
So try your hand at wildlife photography, even if it's just birds in your backyard. Keep shooting!
 _MSP9963Max Stansell Photography
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