Last weekend, I was shooting a personal car for someone and it seemed like the perfect chance to test out the Elinchrom Ranger lights the guys at The Flash Centre are so proud of. I have to say that the more I use this kit, the more I love it. Previously, powerful off camera lighting systems have been big and heavy, mainly mains powered and a real pain for someone like me who likes to work light, without a support truck of gear. This Ranger series is a revelation for me.
The heads are super-light, the battery packs small enough to check in as hold luggage if needed and the control panel is almost self-explanatory. As soon as I’ve been on a bigger shoot with the kit, I’ll add some more thoughts and some images.

Right now, I’m using my Pocket Wizards to trigger the heads, simpoly because they’re familiar, but Graham is going to get me drilled in the Skyport trigger, then I’ll be able to sit there happily controlling flash power. Oh yes, did I mention the power? The headline for this post hopefully gives a flavour of the output you can dial up from these beauties and we’ve got some exciting ideas on much bigger objects we’re going to be lighting soon.

Meanwhile, this video below shows the main control and how to use them.

Finally managed to find the time to update my main website a little. It’s not finished yet, but it’s a whole load better than the dated old html version that was last year’s effort. It still needs some work on the front page and some of the writing needs some polish, but I’m much happier with it.

I’ve managed to get my hands on a Canon 5D Mk2 for the first time this week, but I’ve been giving an awful lot of thought to it’s video capabilities, including the possibilities with some of the grip and camera support equipment commonly used in motion footage. As Canon are at pains to point out, probably with mounting frustration, it’s not a video camera, it’s a DSLR that shoots motion, so there are limits to what can be done. But I couldn’t help but wonder what it’s like on a Steadicam Merlin….

I met up with Tiffen UK’s James Elias yesterday to try mounting the 5D Mk2 and see if it worked. A quick feel for the weight and balance and he had it mounted and ready to go in less than five minutes. Robin Thwaites, Tiffen’s European sales director had been insistent that it was worth my trip to Oxford to see first hand how to operate the Merlin and he was right. James might be a young guy, but he’s a highly experienced Steadicam operator and has been flying Steadicams since the age of 14….

My first attempt was a cross between Bambi and a dunken helicopter pilot. Hand the rig back to James and it’s instantly stable again. Hmm…. A few more tries and it’s getting slowly better, but I’m still far too tense and over-controlling. James sends me on my way with the comment, “You MUST watch the DVD and practise, practise, practise….” He’s right. I returned home and tried again and it’s getting better every time I pick it up.

The small size of the Canon 5D and the Merlin gives all sorts of ideas for applications where a bigger rig will be difficult and for sure, I have a new respect for Steadicam operators. It’s an art and both frustrating for a beginner, but also curiosly addictive….

I’m one of those that looked at Twitter as a platform for those with nothing better to do with their day than rabbit on about what they were having for tea and how bad the traffic was on their drive home. A place for teenagers and bored geeks to hang out and spout dubious opinions that could not be verified.

But I have to say I’m turning. Everyone has been reading and whatching the stunning airmanship of US Air Captain Chelsey Sullenberger, ensuring the safety of all on board by ditching an Airbus in the Hudson River. Significantly, many people, both your average Joe and also news professionals, were alerted to the breaking story by a Twitter feed. As the BBC’s Rory Cellan Jones comments on his blog, he was alerted by his Twitter feed about how amazing it was that a plane could land on water.

Twitter is not going to replace the BBC any time soon, for sure. But it now serves a greater purpose than many of us thought and I have to take my hat off to them and admit that with the new Twitpic site enabling it to grow into a genuine multi media service, perhaps it’s time for me to head over and get an account…..