News

Flashbus Tour 2011 - Recap!

Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

This year’s Flashbus Tour is over but it was a great success! From San Francisco to New York, each session in each city was filled with an incredible crowd soaking up the information David and Joe had to give.

David would start off shows by presenting progressive images as he builds a portrait, making mistakes and showing them along the way in order to let people understand what is happening and the whole process. Afterwards, Joe shoots live in front of the crowd and demonstrates the subtleties and nuances of lighting while interweaving some of his fabulously interesting stories.

You can read more about the tour on Joe’s blog here: www.joemcnally.com/blog/category/tours

Lastolite Releases Joe McNally Signature Line

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Lastolite is proud to announce the Joe McNally Signature Series of light modifiers. These products are take-offs of already existing great Lastolite products, but decidedly with professional photographer Joe’s touch.

Joe McNally TriFlip Kit (LL LR3996JM)

New size of TriGrip, about 35.4”.
Base is translucent.
First cover is Silver, Softsilver, Gold and White.
Second cover is a double sided black cover with a square that can be pulled out to create a hard edge.

Joe McNally TriFlash Rotate (LL LA2457JM)

Same unit as the TriFlash Shoelock, but each of the cold shoes swivel 360º.
Attach up to three flash guns.
Rotating shoe mounts.
Screw locking.

Joe McNally Satin Ezybox Hotshoe (LL LS2462JM)

Same size as the medium Ezybox Hotshoe.
Interior is white instead of silver providing a softer, less “contrasty” look.
Adjustable bracket for different sized flash guns.
Inner and outer diffuser.

Joe McNally UpLite (LL LR3497JM)

Same as the standard UpLite 4:1 but includes a 3’ x 4’ diffuser panel.
Diffuser can be used to create a ground level direct or indirect softbox effect.
Self supporting reflector/diffuser panels.
30 to 80 degree positions.
Ideal for outdoor use.

Joe McNally, www.joemcnally.com/blog, is an internationally acclaimed photographer whose career has spanned 30 years and included assignments in over 50 countries. He has shot cover stories for TIME, Newsweek, Fortune, New York, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Men’s Journal. He has been a contract photographer for Sports Illustrated, a staff photographer at LIFE, and, currently, an ongoing 23-year contributor to National Geographic.

Joe was listed by American Photo as one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography and described by the magazine as “perhaps the most versatile photojournalist working today”. He has been honored as a member of Kodak-PDN Legends Online, as well as being a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens. In 2010, he was voted as one of the 30 most influential photographers of the decade in an industry wide Photo District News survey.

Kelby Media Group and Michael Freeman Join the Manfrotto School of Xcellence In Its Online Photographic Educational Program

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Manfrotto School of Xcellence is proud to communicate a new agreement with Kelby Media Group and Michael Freeman to publish scheduled editorials and videos from March until December 2011.

Kelby Media Group will provide to the School a monthly video tutorial about different topics addressed in particular to beginners with high tendency to share their pictures online. The aim is to teach with a creative approach the basics of photography. In fact, the tutorials will consists in easy tips and tricks explained in a situational contexts.

Michael Freeman will provide the School with a weekly tutorial on different topics ranging from Color Management to Composition, plunging the students into the many exotic and amazing places around the world that he shot. The beginners will be taken by hand and guided through a visionary and emotional photowalk that will teach them the core rules to get impact images to share with their Social Media mates.

Scott Kelby (pictured top right) is Editor and Publisher of Photoshop User Magazine, Editor-in-Chief of Layers Magazine and training director for the Adobe Photoshop Seminar Tour. Scott is President National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), CEO of Kelby Media Group and author of a string of bestselling technology books. He is also Conference Technical Chair for the Photoshop World Conference & Expo and author of numerous Photoshop training DVDs and online courses. He is co-host of PhotoshopTV, and D-Town TV. 10 jobs, little sleep.
www.scottkelby.com
kelbymediagroup.com

Michael Freeman (pictured bottom right) is one of the most widely published photographers worldwide who has worked for most major international magazine and book publishers in a long career. A leading photographer for the Smithsonian Magazine for three decades (more than 40 assignment stories), Freeman has also published more than 120 books on subjects as varied as Angkor, Sudan, ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia, the Shakers, and contemporary Japanese design and architecture.

His 50 books on the practice of photography are standard works, and have sold almost two million copies in more than 20 languages.
www.michaelfreemanphoto.com

For more information about the contributors of the school and their articles, visit the website www.manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com

We Will Remember: In Memory of Don Gale

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0800

We just received the sad news that our friend, teacher and contributor, besides great photographer Don Gale passed away after a long battle with cancer. It’s with our hearts filled with sorrow, which we share with his family, that we want to remember him in this brief message. No words can tell how much we will miss him, with all his great teachings. No words can tell how much we are now in pain for this loss.

He was a great man, with a great soul and a huge passion for nature and photography. We want to thank him for his work and for his passionate support to the Manfrotto School of Xcellence and our brands.

We will remember!!

www.PhotographybyDon.com

Let’s start to remember him by helping him in this. Below an excerpt from the official message:

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the “Don Gale Memorial Fund”, the proceeds of which will be donated to the charities that had impacted his life and were dear to his heart. He started his love of the outdoors and photography on a trip he took to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Range through the El Monte Boys & Girls Club and it’s so typical that Don would want to “pay back” to this and similar organizations that help others to see the beauty around us. Checks can be made to the “Don Gale Memorial Fund” and sent to the studio address below.

Thank you for being a part of the journey that Don loved –
Photography by Don
4511 Santa Anita
El Monte, CA 91731
(626) 448-3691
e-mail: photobydon@earthlink.net
Website: www.PhotographybyDon.com

More Small Flash Winners from Lastolite

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700

Lastolite is excited to announce some great, new small flash products to help you get everything you need to create a great image.

Ezybox Speed-Lite
Lastolite’s Ezybox Hotshoe line of pop open softboxes has been an incredible hit. It started with the 15” (LL LS2438M2), then the 24” (LL LS2462M2) and the recently introduced 30” version. The new Ezybox Speed-Lite (LL LS2420S) is just 8.6” square and it attaches directly to the flash gun on or off the camera. Like all but the 15” version, the new Speed-Lite features removable inner and outer diffusers.

8 in 1 Umbrella
Lastolite’s best selling All-in-One umbrella has been a hit since it was originally launched. The brand new 8-in-1 Umbrella (LL LU4528) is like the All-in-One umbrella on steroids and it is unique in the marketplace. Combinations that can be achieved with this umbrella are:
1.    White bounce
2.    Silver bounce
3.    Shoot through
4.    Shoot through with square mask
5.    Shoot through box
6.    Shoot through box with square mask
7.    Umbrella box (bounce) with silver interior
8.    Umbrella box (bounce) with white interior

This product can also be used with small, studio or on location lighting gear and should become a best seller.

TriFlash Sync with Shoe Lock Tilt Head
With the success of the original TriFlash and TriFlash Shoe Lock, Lastolite decided to extend this family of products. The Triflash (LL LA2455) still allows up to three flashguns to be attached and locked in place but adds syncing capabilities. Plugging a wireless receiver like a Skyport Universal into the brackets PC port allows the single trigger to fire all attached flashes. Don’t have a wireless receiver or trigger? No problem. The TriFlash Sync bracket also includes an optical slave cell with the ability to fire after the first, second or third pre-flash. This bracket has already been mentioned by David Hobby at the Strobist and is bound to be another huge hit among the flashgun crowd.

Besides holding flashguns, TriFlash brackets have been spotted in the video market holding two Micro LitePanels and a “shot gun” mike.

Sync Block for Remote Triggers
Although introduced a few months ago, some people have not heard about the Sync Block for Remote Triggers (LL LA2419). Users who want to fire their flashguns with wireless triggers will love this new item. This device has an aluminum cold shoe with a locking thumb screw that holds a flashgun (even the SB900). A coiled cable is connected to one side of the cold shoe so connecting it to a wireless receiver or into the body of the camera allows the flashgun to be fired remotely. Note: This version has a male PC socket so an adapter would be needed for Skyport, PocketWizard, FreeWire and MicroSync triggers.

TriFlash Shoe Lock Umbrella Kits
We have already released the TriFlash All-in-One Umbrella Kits (LL LU2477 & LL LU2488). These kits include either a 34” or 40” Lastolite All-in-One Umbrella, a TriFlash Tilt head, a Manfrotto 1051BAC stand and a carry bag for the gear. The two new kits substitute the brand new TriFlash Shoe Lock for the regular TriFlash. This version is perfect for owners of Nikon SB800, SB900’s or any other flashgun that doesn’t include a thumb lock at its base as the TriFlash Shoe Lock features a flashgun locking mechanism for each flash.

Shoot Pro Photos with Lastolite's Plain Collapsible Backgrounds

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Lastolite adds four new plain collapsible backgrounds to its range. Each background is reversible and available in two color ways - Black/Mid Grey and White/Mid Grey. The backgrounds are also available in two sizes 5' x 6' and 6' x 7'

Plain Collapsible Background's Features:

Creases Resistant Fabric
Reversible and Collapsible
Single Colors
Ideal for Passport, ID and Corporate Photos

Specifications

Black/Mid Grey 5' x 6' (LL LB56GB)
White/Mid Grey 5' x 6' (LL LB56GW)
Black/Mid grey 6' x 7' (LL LB67GB)
White/Mid Grey 6' x 7' (LL LB67GW)