Does your neck hurt from DSLR neckstrap?

While we tend to carry our camera backpacks all day on the field-trip and have the camera ready by hanging on your neck, at the end of the day you may have serious muscle pain on your shoulders and neck area. I have come up with a great solution that will ease your life a great deal.


Go out to your local store and find a lock that rock-climbers use as shown on the right. While having the backpack on your back, attach it first to the part of your backpack where you can attach it.

Next, attach this lock also to the neckstrap of your camera. You may need to extend the length of the neckstrap for your needs and preferences. Now instead of having all that weigth resting on your neck, it is directed toward your lower back, thus making your life so much easier. I am a tall guy ( 6'6" ) and have constant back pains. Believe me, carrying camera and backpack at the same time is no fun at all!

Cheap and easy flash light diffuser

Need to diffuse your light that comes from external flash such as Sigma EF DG Super? Now there is an easy and cheap way to great results!

Just go to your post office and find a roll of bubble-sheet that they use to send in video tapes, DVDs and glass over mail. Cut out a long strip that is little wider than your flash. Roll it around the flash and attach to your flash with a rubber band. Point your flash toward the ceiling and there you have it. A flash bulb that will illuminate your target with smooth light.

Easy enough? I have used this on many occations and best part is it is cheap, your can throw it away after photo session and get a new one without hassle. It's even fun to pop the bubbles if you're extremely bored or stressed out about your model being a pain.

Don't be afraid of the harsh sunlight!

It's a beautiful day out, sun is fully shining. This is dream for many people on vacation but a nightmare to photographers. The question is why?

Harsh light, such as sun in the mid-day, produces harsh shadows and in portrait photography this becomes a problem. Usually balanced lighting between background and your model becomes really difficult.

Harsh sunlight can be used in advantage though. The following technique doesn't require sunrise or sunset light, it can be used during any time of sunny day. All you need is external flash on either extension cable or remote triggering. In this example I used Sigma EF DG Super with Canon extension cord.

First set aperture to f/11 and shutter to 1/250s. This way the sky won't become over exposed and you get maximum draw from your lens. Set ISO first to 100 and move it up if you need to. Set your flash to manual mode and power to 1/2.

In this example I didn't have a model, so I had to take a mugshot of myself. Naturally with a model it becomes a whole lot easier. Place the model so that the sun is behind her/him on the 45 degree. The sun now becomes the hair light. Next grap the flash and place it on the opposite side of the model facing in 45 degree angle toward the model. Now your model is between the sun and your flash. Your flash will now function as the main light, so now come the tweaking of the settings.

If the light from the flash produces over-exposed skin, move the flash further awy from the model or reduce its power. If the skin becomes under-exposed, add more power to the flash or bring it closer. Trial and error is a good way of getting nice results as the lighting conditions vary.

This technique is as easy as this. Personally I like the idea of not being afraid of the mid-day sunshine any more. Actually it seems that now I prefer a sunny day for outdoor portraits. So don't be afraid of the sun any more, instead use it! The main thing here is to think the sun as the hair light and your flash as the main light. This way your portraits will get a nice 3D-effect as well.

In the below image it seems as if the sky is covered with clouds, but I actually waited for the sun to fully come from behind the cloud to take this picture. Funny thing, first I was used to wait until sun goes away and now I wait for it.

This image:
ISO 100
f/11
1/250s
Flash M mode, 1/2 power