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Pentax K3 in the Studio – Brylee

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The new K3 digital SLR camera just arrived from Pentax, and I’ve been asked to shoot some images for an exhibition next year. Thought I’d start with some shots in the studio, so invited over makeup artist Summer Johnson along with Brylee, Sarah, Tomoko and Yuki to see what we could create. Camera: Pentax K3 Lens: Pentax smc DA* 55mm 1:1.4 SDM Lighting – White background. Octabox as main light, medium size softbox low as fill both powered by Profoto Pro-7a. Two profoto compacts aimed at backgound . Strobes triggered with PocketWizards. If you’d like to see a full resolution file of this image then I’ve put one up on Flickr. As you can see, you don’t have to have a full frame sensor to produce images with great detail and natural gradations in tone.

Coca-Cola Serving Sizes (and an unusual pricing system)

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There are four can sizes for Coca-Cola in Japan. The standard can is 350ml and usually sells for around 120 yen (US$1.20). Interestingly, the 500ml can has 150ml free so is the same price, but they are often sold side by side. On the platforms for bullet trains,  coke is sold in the slimline 250ml cans at, you’ve guessed it, 120 yen. The 160ml mini cans  are available in some supermarkets for around 60 yen.  Mini cans are clearly an excellent choice allowing you to save money, reduce calories, and pretend you’re Andre the Giant.

Hot Wheels – faster, brighter and made in the USA

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While working on this project to photograph classic toys it’s been interesting learning about how something as simple as the die-cast car evolved. The market was first dominated by British brands like Dinky, Matchbox, and Corgi. Then in 1968 Mattel introduced Hot Wheels, which made the cars from the other side of the pond look literally dull. Spectraflame paintwork was created by applying transparent lacquer to a polished zinc plated casting. The eye-catching result was unlike anything done previously. Beauty, however, was fleeting. In 1973, due to issues with lead paint, the lacquer based Spectraflame was replaced by enamel.

Christmas Deadline for Prints – December 15th

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If you’d like to give one of my prints as a Christmas gift, then the deadline for ordering is December 15th. Worldwide express shipping with tracking is fast, reliable, and included in the price, but I like to have 10 days as the postal services around the world can get a little busy during the holiday season.  Check out all the prints available on the TRAVEL67 website. There are three new prints also available: Shuri Castle, Torii & Lantern, Cape Manza. They are not up on the website yet, but if you’d like to order one of these just send me a message and I’ll be in touch.

Addicted to Coke?

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Coke is the drink of choice in Papua New Guinea. The two most common billboards in the country seemed to be for a mobile phone company and Coca Cola. Coca Cola was the main sponsor for the Goroka show, and throughout the country, even at roadside stalls, there were cans and plastic bottles of Coke on sale. Coca Cola has been in the news a lot recently, often to do with changing dietary habits, as consumers become more health conscious. There is also an interesting interplay between advertising to create consumer demand for products, and companies introducing or modifying products due to changes in consumer demand.  Whether Coca Cola has a moral obligation to guide consumers to healthier options is an interesting question.

Minox Wetzlar III Sub-Miniature Spy Camera

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In my fundamentals class I talk about film size, and the impact this has on the type and quality of photographs produced. I show students a range of cameras but there was one iconic brand of camera I was missing, Minox. These are tiny, exquisitely made cameras, that used extemely small rolls of film. Slip a Minox into your tuxedo pocket and while the rest of the ambassador’s guests are enjoying the Ferrero Rocher you can saunter into the office and photograph plans for the missile silo. The Minox makes the sleek, lightweight K1000 35mm film camera look like a behemoth. As with many things, you need to use the right tool for the job. When portability and discretion were priorities, then Minox was the way to go.