Smartphone photography.

  If there is a camera that I've been using lately, it's my Samsung Galaxy s3. Easy to carry with you everywhere, and even if the image quality is maybe not as good as with an DSLR, I just love to play with this camera. A while ago I downloaded Adobe Photoshop Express from the play store, and this makes my life even easier. Turn on the camera, compose, focus, press the shutter, open the image in PS, edit, save and finally share. Here's an image from today. Even if still suffering of a summer flu, we took a walk in the park wit the dogs and while taking a brake, I shot this image and later edited in PS express.

The big day of Petya and Nikolaj

  Marriage is always a big, but joyful step, so congrats to Petya and Nikolaj, who took this step on Saturday. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had the privilege to make the photos at their wedding. It's quite awhile since I last photographed a wedding, so just to be sure that I'll make through the big day, I read quite a lot about wedding photography, lighting and posing, beforehand. Not that I did catch all the moments nor didn't make any mistakes, but I still believe I managed to cover pretty much everything that I should've. The day was moving on in quite a pace and there was lots of venues to go to, and it was hot. Mostly it was a photo journalistic approach which I used, but we had even a little time for some more intimate images in a nearby forest just one minute drive away from the main venue. Mainly I used my Nikon D300s with a Sigma 17-70mm lens and a Nikon SB-600 strobe. For wide angle shots I had my D5100 with Sigma 10-20mm, and for low light and no flash I used Nikon D700, with 50mm or 150mm attached on (in case some one is interested in gear used). And as a bonus, I used my Yongnuo YN560 mark 4 speedlights in a slave mode, and I  have to say that they worked like a dream. The only problem was that it became quite a flickering every now and then, because I wasn't the only one with a camera and a flash. Hope that I didn't ruin too many pictures made by other guests. Here's a couple of images I'd like to share...

       

Lady in red

  Saturday was a big day for my friends, Nikolaj and Petya. I had the honor to be the photographer, so later when the post processing is done and the couple has got their images I'll try to post a few photos. At the venue I saw this beautiful (mysterious) lady, dressed in red. Just couldn't help my self, but had to ask her to pose for a couple of shots. Used my old faithful Nikon SB-600 on a stand behind a white glass door to the right from the model.

Flashing

  Lately I've been flashing quite a lot. Nooo... not in the bad way, but I bought two of those quite cheap and great Yongnuo manual flashes and one YN560-TX radio trigger. That's a lot of light for me and I love it. Working still on my flash technique, as I mentioned in a previous post, but it's getting easier all the time. A good rule of thumb seems to be as the pros say, start with one light, if it's good, great, and then add more lights if necessary. Here's a sample from yesterday evening. One flash from behind the happy cat owner and one 45 degrees camera right (no modifiers, just bare bulb)...

   

More kittens... (sigh!)

  Working on my flash technique and trying to figure out how to use a reflector by my self. Really, I feel like I need one more hand, two for the camera and one for the reflector or flash. I guess an assistant would be even better... maybe one day. So, anyway, the kittens are growing and we even got rid of with two, both went to good homes. One'll stay, so it means three to go. Meanwhile, as I feel it's too hot to get out, I'm shooting kittens inside. As said, I'm trying to hone my lighting skills. Still quite faraway from Joe Mcnally, Frank Doorhof and other lighting gurus, however I'm trying. So here they are, more kittens, enjoy. ( I'm sick of kittens already, but what can I do? )

Cats, cats, dogs and one wife...

  During the past two weeks I've hadn't had too much of spare time over for photography, but when there's been those moments it's mostly been pets in the focus images. So here's a few.

             No flash or any other equipment than camera and a lens. Very convenient.

                          Some extra light added with a white card from the left.

                                            Kitten version of Count Dracula.

                                     Clean towel and your new box home

                                               Kitten with a flash.

                                Kittens with a flash and a reflector on the left.

                                ...Same as the previous.

                                The dogs need some attention too ( and my wife. )

                               Anu, Sussu and high speed sync... What a combination!  

WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!!

  ... At the moment it's difficult to find the words. Yesterday evening, our walk with our dogs ended up in us returning home with a box full of abandoned, maybe just only four week old, kittens. What kind of a person leaves a bunch of helpless kittens in a park, just to be killed by hunger, stray dogs or cold or what ever else? So... we need your help!!! If you are in a need of small kitten or two, or know someone who is willing to take one, please let me know! At our household we have already six cats and two dogs... so probably you can understand that it's pretty crowded here, and not too many places left over for extra kittens. The person for whom we'll give a cat or two should be a responsible person, willing to feed the cat(s) not only with bread, but real cat food and to neuter the animal. Neutering the cat will be a financial burden, but in the long run will benefit the animal, as well as the community too. So, my question is: is there any one out there? Of course it helps if you are in Bulgaria, but even if you would be in some other country and you are ready to adopt one or two of these beauties, just let me know.