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Because the Sony digital camera broke last month, I am in the market for a new camera.  Sony makes some decent entries into the digital camera market, but my experiences with the Sony were not satisfactory for several reasons.  To name a few, the viewfinder display was a display rather than a prism, making it a bit more difficult to focus as accurately as I would like, and the lens on that particular model was permanant, limiting creativity to a certain range.  Further, when doing time exposures at night, I would get concentric rings in my images that radiated out from the middle of the frame.  I do not know if this was caused by the CCD, or the Ziess lens.  I bought the camera for use around the house, and for that it was more than adequate.  In fact, for family work, it was a very good camera to have.  However, these shortcomings made it very difficult for me to attempt to do professional work.  I remember thinking when I bought it, "if it has a Ziess lens, well then that’s got to be good!"  What a wrong assumption.  I could never focus it razor sharp.  I have the same problem with the 80 mm lens that came with my Hasselblad.  It is a great lens, except that it just won’t focus as sharply as necessary for the type of resolution that a Hasselblad film camera can imitate. 

So, I am now in the market for an entry level Pro-DSLR camera.  So far, the nominations have been the Nikon D90 and the Canon 40D.  I have always likes the reputation that Nikon lenses have carried with them, however, the same could be said of Ziess lenses, and look where that has got me!  So I have been looking at each camera and weighing them on their own merits.  I am going to say right out, the Nikon has the distinction of being the first DSLR in the world to have video capabilities, though the reviews on that have been only fair.  Something to do with a little jump in some of the video produced, and the limitations on auto-focus while in video mode.  Well, whatever, it doesn’t really matter to me because I do not like the idea of spending money on technology that I do not intend to use.  If I wanted to do video work, I would be looking at the Canon XL-1.  I would rather Nikon built the camera to do one thing great, and that being still photos.  That is the business I am in.  So that has been a turn off straight away.  Also, the info I have found on it does not indicate the same build quality as the Canon 40D, which is made from Magnesium and Stainless Steele.  Other than what I get in the DSLR Range, I use a Hasselblad, and if you know how they are built, then you can guess which of these two wins in the camera build department, the Canon! 

The Canon also has THREE customisable shooting modes on top of the standard shooting modes.  Both can be connected to a PC and controlled to a great extent directly from the PC.  I like that idea!  I can get a large view of what I am shooting on my PC screen!  I can see some real potential with that; particularly with still life and product shots, but also with family portraits for a "live view" and instant review, saving a lot of time and money, and getting what the client is looking for.  I am sure that when playing around with it, I will find many other uses too.

Canon has a much stronger set of lenses in its line-up!  Unbelievably the Canons actually even have tilt and shift lenses, which would of course come in handy in architectural work and artistic applications.  But they also have a great many other lenses as well, and all are a great deal more quiet, which could be helpful at a wedding during the ceremony, and while shooting wildlife.  They do this because the lenses can apparently be used on the XL-1 video camera…  Which I may want to buy further down the road, when I actually DO want to get into video work! 

There are many other reasons that I am leaning towards the Canon over the Nikon, which is a great camera!  But so far, the above listed ones are the primary reasons why I think Canon is going to become the backbone of KelseyPhoto.com in the near future.  These include market permeation and and what I will be able to upgrade to.  Canon’s top of the line DSLR has nearly double the resolution the Nikon top offering has.  That could be important to that client wanting larger then life images! 

So, to fund about half of this expense, I am going to be listing a couple of items on eBay from my Hasselblad that I never use.  These are a winder CW, a D Flash 40 (Ironically), and the Flash Bracket/hand grip.  I would expect to pull in around £450 for the whole lot.  Of course, that depends on my eBay auctions!  But watch for the new camera and photos to start appearing in January or February, when I have rounded up the rest of the money, as I do not wish to purchase on time.  Debt is a bad way to run any small business.

Kelsey

This news release is artificial except in terms of my renewal of policy.  I broke my camera, on accident, when I caused it to short out by allowing a screw to tumble loose inside and touch some electrical components.  Norwich Union’s claims manager, Kirsten somebody or other in Scotland refuses the claim because the short caused what the repairer termed as a mechanical fault, like a manufacturer’s defect.  What’s worse, she would not hear my explanation at all, so I had to fight with her on the phone for 30 minutes till she finally offered to have one of their suppliers have a look at it.  The short and long of it, they are calling me a big fat liar to my face. 

I am most aggravated because we have paid them £500 in premiums and by the time the excess (deductible) and the out of pocket cost of the estimate are taking into account, I only needed a £106.25 payment from the insurer (which has underwritten my photographic equipment separately on our homeowner’s insurance). 

Semantics.  That is what this all comes down to.  That is how you lose business!

In other news, Calumet sent their part of my Anniversary/allowance for this month.  One of the 60" Umbrellas was faulty, so I emailed them.  They said they’d "send one out today," and please toss out the faulty one.  What do you know?  Customer service that I can take real confidence in.  That is how you win business!

The web came along a little today, improving the wording, adjusting the pricing, and putting more details into the pages created.  I also put in a "Bespoke" page in order to give customers an idea of prices for work done for them, such as portraits or restorations.  I have still got a ways to go!

The insurance company rang today to tell us that they are not going to pay for the repair on the camera, effectively shutting down the digital side of the business temporarily.  I am looking at what it will take to get the repair money together.  I am also taking this on board as a lesson learned, and considering how I can invest in a proper Digital SLR that I can change bodies on easily.  I would love to start on the low end of the Nikon range, then get a new body later on and use the original for a back-up, and for holding a separate lens, ready to go.  Getting going in this direction would be exactly the type of kit I need to get stared in Wedding Photography!  Let’s hope that I can save up a little of my allowance and get that started in the New Year!

Galleries are not online yet because it is time I sit down and take seriously what I plan on putting into them.  That might take a few days!  All the while, I want desperately to get the Hasselblad out and shoot a couple of rolls of high key photos on that pretty new white background I have got!  I also have MASSIVE new 60 inch umbrellas that need testing out.  This all comes out of my allowance and my Anniversary present for November.  It is a great upgrade to my kit that I am really looking forward to using with the kids.

Ta for now,

Kelsey

IT is a Tuesday evening, and I am sat working on the new web layout.  The old site was in SERIOUS need of a revamp, and the new one is mostly up  now.  The only thing left to make are the new galleries! 

I have again opted for a simple design so that it is easy for me to maintain.  I am not one of those who wants to go pay a company to make and keep a site for me because I want the flexibility and responsibility.   So, while the design may be simple, I hope that it is effective. 

I have included the blog so that I can easily update news and so I can post pictures and tell the stories behind them.  The Blog is day by day, blow by blow KelseyPhoto.com as it happens. 

I think the site is better, and easier for you and for me!

This week will bring me a new background set with a white backdrop that will provide enough to do some photos of the kids on with ease, or some adult photos, should I find a willing victim.  I am really looking forward to that!  I have found a deal on eBay for some 60" umbrellas from Calumet for only £15 each, so I am starting to think that two of those will be on their way here soon.  60" is massive, and the price is spectacular!  I need umbrellas as my Elinchroms came with a pair of soft boxes only, and while they are good, they are not the be all, and all to shooting!  Getting a pair of the umbrellas means I will need one more dish for my lights, but I have found a great price on one of those as well, so that can wait till next month!  Backgrounds to follow!  Things are really starting to come together for my home studio!

I have not yet heard back about the digital camera from the insurance company.  Fingers crossed, that will come out good.  I would love to get hold of it when the background comes so I can really practice the infinite white!  I am very excited to at last be getting this gear together so I can really apply myself to the trade.

Speaking of applying myself to the trade, I was meant to have a shoot with a friend and her mother and daughter, but she has been under the weather this week, and her mom is flying back to the States soon.  I won’t be able to get the shoot because of the logistics, which is a total bummer because they are good people, and I would love to see this memory created for them.

Kelsey

I just got some photos back from the lab this morning!  I am scanning them now, but the first one I scanned was too good to leave alone.  I can’t say the same for all of the rest.  But this one was worth spending some time on in Photoshop straight away!  Maybe I like it so much because it is my beautiful daughter!  While I write this, I am scanning other pictures that I shot the same day.  I was looking for a full body shot that day, but while I had my kit out, I could not help but to get my 55mm extension tube out, and point the strobes around as best as I could.  True that a ring flash would come in handy, but till I can get one, I will have to make due.

I am still eagerly awaiting the arrival of my new background and stands.  Those promise to come in very handy!  The work I am going to have to do on the pics I am scanning now bear testament to that!

Kelsey

A couple of weeks or so ago the Sony gave up the ghost for a while.  It is in the shop now, and I have had the Hasselblad out and to work on my daughter.  The photos are in the lab for processing, and when I get them back I will scan them and get to work on them to put up here.  Stay tuned!  She’s beautiful!

I have also ordered a pair of background stands with the cross section and a plain white BG.  Look for some work with those after the digital comes back, and after the new gear arrives.  I will be looking for new backgrounds later on, and of course, I will be looking to get into a third light when I can.  All goes well, I may be doing portrait work more seriously!

Today is my anniversary!  Katrina, these have been the best six years of my life, and our new little gift, Kirynie, has really accentuated that!  You were right the time you said she is the best of both of us!  I love you!

Kelsey

Under normal circumstances, Tolladine is one of the main arteries leading from the M-5 Motorway into the city centre.  We walk it for easy access into town from our house, and without fail, it is always very busy.  There is no place worst than under the rail yard however, where the walk is along a narrow footpath right next to the narrow and busy road.  As you will see in the pictures below, the road feels smaller here due to the high walls on either side of it, and the bridges for the rail yard above. 

So when construction at a crossroads on the west end of the section with the high walls caused the entire section to be shut down, it was an opportunity to go and play around in a stretch of road that we would never normally dare to try to run across.  I even had the boys lay in the road just so they could say they have, and so they could do something very uncomfortable!

Because the weekends have been busy with other things.  Trip to London on Sunday kept me off the bike that day, for example.  I have started Atkins on Monday, so I am seeing how that is holding me over.  I am not sure I will want to be going out on the bike again till I know for sure how I hold out energetically on this thing.  I don’t want to get out in the middle of nowhere and have my body just quit on me.  So I will likely give it a miss this week and maybe next.

Forty-Two Miles yesterday.  That’s what I worked it out as on Google Earth.  The odometer was not on the whole time, and I have not yet figured out how to separate just yesterday from the rest of the log on my GPS.  So I followed as closely as possible and came up with 42 miles.  And does it ever feel like it this morning!  Anyhow, I have the mountain bike tires on, and I had my new panniers on and full of junk.  Well, not junk really.  It was really filled with my camera and some warm clothes in case the weather turned, as it often does at this time of year.  In the end, I was rained on five times during the day.  And that is not to include the spits and spurts.  Those were the real rainfalls that soaked me top to bottom. 

There was a lot to see while out, though it was mostly countryside.  One of my favourite aspects of Worcester has always been that one need only take a short ride, and one is out of Worcester, and within moments far enough away to forget it exists.  The scenery is unforgettable!  I am really glad I have been able to have time here! 

In some respects, I think this part of the blog and my time here is coming to an end.  The baby is due in July, and I don’t see a lot of riding going on after that.  When she is old enough I can go out, I think we will be living in America.   So, what I can do, I will.  Just a heads up that I don’t expect to get much more mileage out of this blog! 

I hope you enjoy this summer season. I will try to get what I can up here.

KB