One this day in photographic history.
Fun facts to fill your face with: on this day (April 6th) in 1889, George Eastman began selling his Kodak flexible rolled film, helping bring photography to the mainstream. George Eastman was of course, one of the two founding members of Eastman Kodak Company. Kodak was a pioneer in many aspects of photography and film from the late nineteenth century until the end of the twentieth century.
Prior to Eastman's camera, a glass-plate negative was needed for each exposure. The Kodak camera was preloaded with a flexible film roll of that would take up to 100 exposures. Once the 100 exposures were taken, the camera was sent back to Kodak, who processed the film and mailed back the images. The images were circular, and had a diameter of 2 5/8". The camera sold for $25.00 in 1888. Instead of a viewfinder, there were two V-shaped lines on the top of the camera's leather case to help aim.
The camera sold for $25.00, the developing the images was an additional $10.00. Once the roll was developed, the camera was reloaded, and sent back with the images. Spare rolls of film were sold for $2.00 if you wanted to ball out and process your own images.
The moral of this story is: we have it pretty good today... thank god for the cameras on our iPhones.
Working with Natural and Artificial Light
Working on a closed stage or set can make lighting a stage/subject very straightforward. There are, of course challenges, but there's a lot of control. What about lighting in a location where there is natural light? Let's talk about getting along with the sunshine.
The sun is wonderful! It provides lovely, 110+ degree days, burns your skin, and smolders your retinas. The sun also melts evil snow and makes rainbows possible. Sun is our friend, not our enemy. Here are our favorite lights/gear to use when tangoing with the natural daylight.
Arri Skypanel. It's big, powerful, doesn't draw a whole lot of electricity, and spreads nicely like jam.
Litepanels Gemini 1x1. Think, Skypanel in a 1x1' LED panel. Also, the light spread is jelly like, "soft and spreadable".
Litepanels Astra 6X. They don't come with the 96-color crayon box of filters, colors and effects, but they'll give you a gentle smack in the face on a bright day.
Joker 800 Bug. A big ol' haymaker of light, right in your face. (Great to shoot off a bounce board, or use as an accent.)
Lastly, cutters, floppies, flags, frames and diffusions. Remember, the sun is pretty bright... you may just need to block and bounce a little. Sunshine is a gift from the Heavens, use it before you lose it.
If you have a sun-filled video production in your future, let us help you make it a little faker, but much more attractive.
MYT WORKS SLIDER
We've recently invested in a new camera slider that promises to elevate our current offerings. The MYT Works Medium Glide Slider is a four-foot slider that offers expert, durable craftsmanship in a user-friendly, easy-to-use design. When a Dana Dolly is too cumbersome, and a smaller, two or three foot slider won't give you the range you need, the MYT Works Medium Glide Slider is the solution. This tool has proven to require a bit more set-up time than some of our other sliders, but it has also proven to be worth the effort. One of the best features of this slider is the magnets built in to the ends of the slider and the slider head; the magnets induce resistance a few inches away from the track end, helping to eliminate abrupt/harsh ends to slides. To experience the glory that is the MYT Works Medium Glide Slider for yourself, simply fill out our Booking Request form, and we'll take it from there!
Astera Titan LED Tubes Amaze
If you haven't heard of Astera's Titan LED Tubes, prepare to be amazed! Think Arri Skypanel, in a 41" tube. With a huge spectrum of color options, a large range of whites, and temperature range of 3200-6500K, you'll be able to find the color or temperature you need. These lights are optimized for an ultra-high TLCI, a very high CRI and peak brightness. Colors as well as Hue, Saturation and Intensity can be set directly on the tube, as well as remotely via DMX or an app. They can be configured and programmed to create amazing lighting effects, and can remember the commands even if all users are disconnected.
Our 8-tube kits will be available shortly for your next Las Vegas video production rental.