You can reach me by email at: jeff.cowell@gmail.com and please be sure to be specific about the item(s) you want.

If something is missing from the list when you look here again, that means it has been sold.

Below are remaining items and some of the items have been reduced to move now.

MANY ITEMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOLD, SO THIS LIST IS SHRINKING FAST.

Square Softbox with Bayonet Mount Speed Ring , approximately 34.5″ square.
$40

Fotodiox Softbox with Universal Mount Speed Ring, approximately 23″ square.

$35

1 Pair of Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles.

1-pair of Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles. These poles are complete with top and bottom caps and are in good condition.

Although it is not pictured here, this pair of poles will also include ONE 2951 extension.

NO, the ladder is not included, it is pictured for scale only.

$125 / Pair

1-pair of White Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles

1-pair of White Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles with a matching pair of extensions.  These poles are complete with top and bottom caps.

NO, the ladder is not included, it is pictured for scale only.

$175 / Pair

1 Black Bogen/Manfrotto Autopole with extension

1 Black Bogen/Manfrotto Autopole with extension, complete with top and bottom caps (however, one cap is beige instead of black.

NO, the ladder is not included, it is pictured for scale only.

$80

JTL 1000 Stand – #5015, 10′-6″, 4-sections, reversible stud (for Strobe or background crossbar), air-cushioned.

$40

JTL B-909 Background Stand, 9′-6″ tall, 4-section, air-cushioned, single stand included in this sale.

$30

JTL 900 Stand # 5114, 9′-6″ Light Stand, 4-sections, reversible stud (for Strobe or background crossbar), air-cushioned.

$35

Medium-duty Light Stands, 3-sections, 5/8″ strobe mounting stud, spring cushioned, 8′-6″ tall

$35 each, 2 available.

Wood Bar Stool, great for posing subjects in the studio.

$25 

Posing Column, square styling, measures about 10″ x 12″ x 36″ and is nice heavy-duty construction.

$50 

TwistFlex Chroma Blue/Green Model TF-03-3, 3′-6″ x 5′ two-sided background with Chroma Key Blue / Chroma Key / Green

$40 each, 2 available.

Posing Table, on casters, adjust from about 27.5″ to 38.5″

$75

Bucket/Pan, Ball and Egg (all sell as one item)

$5

You can reach me by email at: jeff.cowell@gmail.com and please be sure to be specific about the item(s) you want.

If something is missing from the list when you look here again, that means it has been sold.

Square Softbox with Bayonet Mount Speed Ring , approximately 34.5″ square.
$40

Fotodiox Softbox with Universal Mount Speed Ring, approximately 23″ square.

$35

Hanging Expans-style background rack with 3 rolls of paper.

Hanging Expans-Style background rack with 3 rolls of paper.  This rack will hold up to 4 rolls but comes equipped with chains and rollers for the 3 rolls of paper that are included.  Please note: All of these rolls are used, as is the rack, chains, and rollers.

$100

1 Pair of Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles.

1-pair of Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles. These poles are complete with top and bottom caps and are in good condition.

Although it is not pictured here, this pair of poles will also include ONE 2951 extension.

NO, the ladder is not included, it is pictured for scale only.

$125 / Pair

1-pair of White Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles

1-pair of White Bogen/Manfrotto Autopoles with a matching pair of extensions.  These poles are complete with top and bottom caps.

NO, the ladder is not included, it is pictured for scale only.

$175 / Pair

1 Black Bogen/Manfrotto Autopole with extension

1 Black Bogen/Manfrotto Autopole with extension, complete with top and bottom caps (however, one cap is beige instead of black.

NO, the ladder is not included, it is pictured for scale only.

$80

Male Dress Form

$25

Female Dress Form

$25

JTL 1000 Stand – #5015, 10′-6″, 4-sections, reversible stud (for Strobe or background crossbar), air-cushioned.

$45

JTL B-909 Background Stand, 9′-6″ tall, 4-section, air-cushioned, single stand included in this sale.

$35

JTL 900 Stand # 5114, 9′-6″ Light Stand, 4-sections, reversible stud (for Strobe or background crossbar), air-cushioned.

$40

Medium-duty Light Stands, 3-sections, 5/8″ strobe mounting stud, spring cushioned, 8′-6″ tall

$40 each, 2 available.

Wood Bar Stool, great for posing subjects in the studio.

$30 

Posing Column, square styling, measures about 10″ x 12″ x 36″ and is nice heavy-duty construction.

$60 

TwistFlex Chroma Blue/Green Model TF-03-3, 3′-6″ x 5′ two-sided background with Chroma Key Blue / Chroma Key / Green

$50 each, 2 available.

Posing Table, on casters, adjust from about 27.5″ to 38.5″

$75

Bucket/Pan, Ball and Egg (all sell as one item)

$5

Scenic Painted Muslin Background with Swans and Flowers, 10′ x 20′

$125

Green/Tan/White Painted Muslin Background, 9′ x 18′

$100

Brown Tones Painted Muslin Background, 9′ x 19′

$100

Painted Muslin Background, Garden/Terrace scene, 9′ x 16′

$100

Painted Canvas Background, Earth Tones/Ground Cover, 9′ x 9′

$50

Hand-made Dyed Muslin Background, Blue/Gray, 8′ x 11′, Includes carrying pouch.  There are rod pockets sewn into the width and length of this background

$50

Folding screen, metal with fabric panels.

Folding Screen, Metal with fabric panels.  About 6′ tall with an overall width of about 57″.

$75

Here is the problem; you take a photo of the kids in their costumes and the camera decides that you need flash, however, the camera does not know what to do with all the flash that comes back from the reflective patches.  This sudden burst of light returning to the camera will typically cause the camera to shut the flash down immediately.  In many cases this situation causes the flash to shut down prematurely and the kids never get enough light on them to make a good photo.  The result is a terrific photo of the reflective elements of the costume, but a sub-par image of the kid wearing the costume. 

Not all is lost, at least not on all cameras, because we can setup flash compensation to deal with this situation.  Flash compensation is typically indicated on your menu or functions by a lightning bolt followed by +/-, and this is where you want to go to handle flash for these shots.  If we increase the flash compensation (using the “+” side), the camera will keep the flash on longer and get some light on the kids and the rest of the costume.   

What you will wind up with is a photo that actually shows your kids and their costumes, with some bright spots where the reflective patches appear in the costumes.  This is NOT an exact science where anyone can give you some magical setting to use on your camera, and there are a number of reasons for this:

• Some costumes have more reflective features than others do. This may require a higher compensation setting.
• You may be shooting the kids in a group and have a variety of reflective patches to deal with. 
• Your child may be posed in such a way that the reflective features are a non-issue.  This may require a lower compensation setting.

In any event, it is best for you to take a few shots and check the results so you can make the proper compensation settings.  Take a look at your photos as you take them to be certain the reflective safety features are not ruining your shots.  While we are discussing this subject, I would like to suggest that you get those photos printed too.  Maybe it’s just me, but what ever happened to hanging pictures of your kids on the refrigerator?   

Before getting off this subject, I might also suggest that you carry a small patch of cotton cloth to drape over your flash too.  This will diffuse the flash and make for a more appealing photo.  There are flash diffusers you can purchase for use with virtually any camera, so check your local camera shop.

If you would like to get you photos printed from your mobile device, you can use the Mobile Order from at: http://www.douglasphoto.com/mobileorder/ and have your prints ready fast. 

©2012 Jeff Cowell, jrcowell.com

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Nikon+S800c/Ntt/Nikon+S800c/N/0/?BI=5051&KBID=5709

So: you took out your camera (or camera phone), and captured this great image, but now you want to do more with it.  That is where cropping comes into play, and it helps to know a little about this subject before you take the photo in the first place.  In most cases, you will find that the original image, no matter how good it may be, is usually just a starting place for the finished image.   Probably the easiest way to describe cropping is to say that it is clipping (or cutting) our original image to fit into another format. 

Most typical cameras record in a format equivalent to 4” x 6” prints, and that is why this is our most common format for prints.  When we talk about enlargements the most common sizes you will hear about are 5” x 7” and 8” x 10”.  Therefore, if we do a little bit of simple math we can figure out the 4” x 6” format would fit an 8” x 12” enlargement.  So, what are we going to do with the extra 2” when we want to create an 8” x 10” print?  The simple answer is: cropping.  Probably the most important thing for you to remember with every shot you take; is that you must leave enough room around your subject to execute a proper crop after-the-fact.  If you do all of your composition through the viewfinder, you will find it difficult to edit your images to create the photos you want later.  It is never any fun when you have to pick to crop off somebody’s head or feet, because you cropped in too close when you shot the image in the first place.  When you create the image in the first place, make sure you keep it loose enough to crop to whatever end-result you desire. 

In the example photo that I have provided here, you will see that the original leaves plenty of room around the subject for cropping.  I have drawn some outlines on the image to illustrate some potential cropping options.  You will notice that either a 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 crop can be executed without any issue.  Each crop creates a completely acceptable image without any negative effects on the subject.

One other thing to notice about this photo is the control of the depth-of-field.  It is important that whenever you shoot portraits that you control the depth-of-field carefully.  By keeping your aperture wide-open you reduce the depth-of-field and that will keep the subject in focus while the background remains out of focus.  This helps to provide separation between the subject and the background, giving your subject great definition.  It is also important to note that the closer you are to the subject the smaller the depth-of-field will be, likewise, the further you are from your subject, the greater the depth-of-field will be.  This subject and the same background look completely different in shots taken from just 6 feet further back because of the increased depth-of-field.  Therefore, when you are taking shots of a subject, you might want to consider taking several versions so you can create different effects.

 ©2012 Jeff Cowell, jrcowell.com

By now, you may have caught on to the theme of this column, that being “composing your photos”, so you’ll be happy with them when you see the images.  I’m going to touch on some basic points that many people have never heard of and if you have, then maybe we’ll just remind you of them so you’ll be prepared for your next vacation.

The first point that I’d like to touch on is simplicity.  If you are trying to get a good picture of your spouse in front of the ski lodge where you spent your winter vacation, there is a lot to consider before snapping the shutter.  The building might be a beautiful structure, but if you’re standing right in front of it your spouse is going to be lost in the photo.  So instead, thing about backing off (with your spouse) so that the subject of your photo can become more about your spouse while still including the lodge in the background.  Avoid signs and cars and wires and such and try to keep your main subjects in perspective.  As you look through the view-finder be aware of everything that is going to be in the finished photo and try not to focus just on those things that you want in the photo.  If they are out there and you can see them in the viewfinder, they are going to be in the image too.  To this end, it is sometimes a good idea to turn your camera on end, and take a portrait style shot so that you can eliminate unwanted clutter from the photo.  If all else fails, do your best to make sure your subjects are focused and as clear as possible in the image and plan on having it printed with your main subjects cropped to get rid of clutter. 

The next point that is a perfect follow-up to simplicity is mergers.  Watch out!  There you are, minding your own business when you decide to get that shot of grandma walking across the yard.  You point the camera and focus it, and then you call out to grandma to get her to look up at you, and snap, you’ve got it, the perfect photo of grandma the reindeer.  Sure we many times will want to catch our subject unaware, but watch out for branches, poles, buildings, etc. that can look like they’re growing out of your subject’s head.  Sometimes these candid shots take a little forethought, so take a look around before raising the camera to your eye and you’ll still be able to get that shot, but hopefully with pretty clouds behind grandma instead of antlers.  You might also be surprised to hear that sometimes mergers can be good for your photo.  There are times when you will find that merging subjects in the background and the foreground will create a more artistic effect.  In any event; you should make an effort to try both methods to see what you can do with them.

The next case/rule in composition is the rule of thirds.  If you imagine your image is split into thirds, both horizontally and vertically you can learn to make better photos.  If you are shooting the landscape at your favorite vacation spot, try not to let the horizon run right across the middle of your photo.  This makes for boring photos in most cases and keeps you from properly expressing in the photo what it is you love about this place.  So instead, keep the horizon in the top or bottom third of your photo.  If the sky is beautiful and blue, you may want to keep the horizon low and let the sky dominate the photo.  On the other hand, if the landscape is full of colorful flowers in flowing fields of tall grass then put the horizon in the top third and allow that landscape to dominate the photo.  I think you can see where that makes sense, but how about people or buildings?  Well, if you look around at photos that you like of people (or buildings) you may discover that many of them do not have the subject in the middle of the shot.  By having your subject offset into the left or right third of the frame you can create more interesting photos that cause the viewer to look more carefully at the photo and enjoy more of what you were trying to capture.  A straight-on dead-center shot of a mountain doesn’t say nearly as much as a shot that shows how tall this mountain is compared to the surrounding landscape.  If your main subject is a person and they are standing sideways to the camera, make sure they are facing into the photo composition and not outwards to where the edge of your image will be.  This will lead the viewer into the scene, so they see what the person in the photo was seeing. 

There are a lot of discussions we could have on lines and depth-of-field, but I’ll save some of these discussion for future columns.  It is pretty easy to follow the simple rules I’ve presented here and you will see a significant improvement in your vacation pictures if you will follow them.

My response was probably not what you would call “politically correct”, in fact, it was terse and matter-of-fact, and maybe a little too assertive for the recipient.  The bottom line on any of these issues is simple: if there is any question of legal distribution, it is best to err on the side of safety.  It really is best that anyone who is distributing anything on the Internet, be aware of copyright laws and be very careful not to violate them.  The mistaken idea that it’s free if it is on the Internet couldn’t be further from the truth.  The best bet is for you to read up on copyright laws for yourself, so you will completely understand what you are dealing with.  You can find abundant information at: http://copyright.gov/, so give it a visit and get up to speed before you share anything.

Have you taken any time to consider the American Dream?  In my experience, the American Dream is not a static concept so much as dynamically driven by geography and culture. Having lived in several parts of the United States, I can safely say that my sense of the American Dream has shifted from place to place, but always included the ability to enjoy wide-open spaces.  To that end, you might say that I envision the American Dream as those unalienable rights as outlined in our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”  Therefore, if I were to comment on “my” American Dream, I might sum it up briefly by saying that it is the Liberty to enjoy my Life without encumbrance by governmental agencies, while I Pursue Happiness. 

But what is “is”?  Do I “live” and therefore have “life” just because I breathe?  Not quite: Life for me is a journey and liberty is the freedom to take the turns on that journey that are pleasing and desirable to me.  Happiness: Well that is simply being satisfied that I made my own choices along the way.  There are no guaranteed results in this “American Dream”, just an equal opportunity to turn our life into whatever we want it to be.  There is no joy that matches a wide-open space with my camera.  At the end of the day I might be tired, hot, dirty and 100 miles from home, but satisfied that I have pursued my American Dream.  But wait: That is my American Dream in Kansas, and does not necessarily have anything to do with my time in Connecticut, Kentucky, New York, or Pennsylvania etc.  I might seek out a mountain trail or beach in Connecticut and in Pennsylvania, it might be a waterfall, covered bridge, or a country farm scene.  There are many themes that I might be engaged in with different geographical areas, but the pursuit is close to the same in all places.  As a young backpacker, just seeing the sights along the way was good enough for me, but that was when I lived in a city and worked in a bigger city and spent my rush hours sitting in some serious traffic.  Today the camera is a very important part of that scenery because I want to share those sights with others. 

You might have guessed by now that my American Dream today involves having a camera handy and getting away from it all.  Kansas for instance, has many Scenic Drives that you could take over the course of a weekend and experience some of the more interesting sights and culture of our great state, and in my opinion; it is a good idea to have a camera with you.  Sure, these kinds of little excursions are very enjoyable without stopping to shoot, but the pleasure of viewing those photos repeatedly has a healing effect on the soul.  Trips like these are easy to afford in rough economic times like those we live in today, but the photographic fruits can last a long time.  Not only that, getting out of the car to really experience these locations is an important part of these trips.  Walking around at Monument Rocks or Castle Rock can be a once-in-lifetime experience, besides being the stuff that builds a rich childhood for your kids.  I do not know about you, but in my family, we spent a lot of time driving for vacations and getting out to explore everywhere we went.  That was some good stuff to remember as a kid, and it has had a permanent effect on my life.  It is also very cool to be able to share these places with your friends and family and introduce them to more of the world they live in.

After everything is said and done, it is all about getting out with your camera and enjoying the many liberties that we are blessed with as Americans. Sitting on the couch and watching your favorite shows on television may seem like a great idea for you, but once those shows are gone, they are gone. The photos that you accumulate from simple little scenic drives can provide a lifetime of fun and invigorating memories. If you enjoy activities at the lake, you will probably also enjoy the photos of those activities during the harsh winters of Kansas. I once read a book about developing memory; the author suggested that one of the best ways to preserve memories was to keep photos of those memorable moments handy, where they will be viewed often. Some of my favorite photos are hanging in my studio, and provide wallpaper for my various computer screens.

If you need some inspiration to get started on excursions (such as I have discussed here) catch up with me on Facebook or Flickr and have a look at the various galleries available. You may discover places that you never dreamed existed in and around Kansas. By the way, we do not have to show a passport at the borders between states here in the United States, so it is okay if you cross the border into one of our neighboring states and find some cool stuff to shoot there too.

Since I brought up the subject of heat; I might as well mention that your camera batteries are in peril when you are out in high temperature shooting situations, just like when you are in the extreme cold.  Make sure you have backups and do your best to keep them cool (not cold) so you can swap out the batteries when they get too hot to function properly.  If you happen to have a cooler with you and it has one of those sandwich trays in the lid, that could be a good place to hold your backup batteries.

© 2011 Jeff Cowell, jrcowell.com