We rely on both: a good crew, and good tools. We’re notoriously fussy about both.

Gear requirements:

reliable
weather-proof
capable
flagship / premium level
fashionable

Crew requirements:

(see above)

We pulled these two photos this morning to show how it all works together, and to show off Kora and Anabelle hard at work on a double shoot. While its rare to have two little ones on a pro shoot, its not unusual, and they’re not just playing around – they test lights, haul gear, charge batteries, make clients laugh & smile, clean backgrounds, sweep floors, and are a riot to have around. Oh – a couple organic cookies from the Co-op usually suffices as payment too….

The gear they’re holding isn’t just for looks either. The softbox is a double-diffused (for this shoot) Photoflex Octodome NXT mounted to a Photoflex LiteReach. This combo is complex, but so so so versatile and able to be collapsed, folded up, and fit neatly inside the main Crumpler bag & stuffed under the seat of any regional jet. The strobe is a Nikon SB900 or SB800 (this looks like the more compact 800…) which is mounted to one of PocketWizard’s brand new FlexTT5 transceivers, and is being triggered by a combination of MiniTT1 transmitter / AC3 zone controller. Phew…! The setup allows us to sync the strobes above 1/250 (1/1250 in this shot!) and gives some beautiful, diffused light in any location. As long as we’ve got someone to haul it & hold it that is…

Actual internet chat dialogs with Charter today:

CGI Dana :  Thank you, Adam. Do you also have your security code from your billing statement?

Adam Johnson:  um… no.

CGI Dana :  Do you remember the PIN you set up on the account?

Adam Johnson:  absolutely not

CGI Dana :  Do you, by chance, have the account number?

Adam Johnson:  82451207900xxxxx

CGI Dana :  Great, thank you!

CGI Dana :  I am showing that the current balance on the account is $95.09 with a past due balance of $44.99.

Adam Johnson:  I edited / updated the visa that is setup for payment over a week ago. this should not be a problem.

CGI Dana :  Is this the card ending in 6199?

Adam Johnson:  that sounds right

CGI Dana :  I show that it was never activated. I can activate it, however it will take a full billing cycle to debit. Did you want to go ahead and pay the balance on the account today and then the next payment be debited.

Adam Johnson:  um… what does ‘never activated’ mean…?

CGI Dana :  There is an option on the account which is ‘active’ or ‘inactive’ and the status of the auto pay on your account is ‘inactive’.

Adam Johnson:  ok. whatever. if I edited the active autopay with a different visa, I’d assume it would still be active, yes? please press the magic ‘active’ button, pay previous balance, etc, etc.

CGI Dana :  Yes, I can do all of that for you. However, in the account the card number is encrypted so I will need you to provide me with the entire card number with the expiration date, if you don’t mind please.

Adam Johnson:  I don’t mind, but the card is in my car, in the parking lot, 4 floors down. do you want to sip coffee whilst I get it?

CGI Dana :  Adam, honestly, I can only hold for 2 minutes. So, if you want to chat back when you get done or even make the payment online at charter.com thru your my account, you can do that as well.

Adam Johnson:  it will take more than 2 min. yup. is this so-called ‘activate’ button obvious when I return?

CGI Dana :  It’s already been done, so when you chat back all you got to do is request help with processing a payment.

*** NEW AGENT ***

TTD Lisette :  I will activate your internet service now, Adam. Since your services are interrupted, the system will automatically charge you $1.99 restoration fee, which will be added to your next month’s bill.

Adam Johnson:  wait… hold on. you are charging me $1.99 for not activating this when I entered visa info over a week ago? not cool. nix that please…

TTD Lisette :  No, Adam. The system will automatically charge it to your account.

Adam Johnson:  then automatically remove it

TTD Lisette :  Again, the system will automatically charge it to your account.

Adam Johnson:  on principle alone I object. I already went through this BS ‘activation’ thing today with an agent…

TTD Lisette :  Is this okay?

Adam Johnson:  um, no. there are rules. this isn’t ‘Nam. across this line YOU DO NOT…

TTD Lisette :  I will activate your internet service, Adam. To remove the $1.99 charge on your account, I will transfer you to our Billing Department.

TTD Lisette :  Would that be fine with you?

Adam Johnson:  {sighs} yes

** NEW AGENT **

CGI Elizabeth W :  I cannot credit back the $1.99 restoration fee either as it is automatic and may not be added to your account, depending on whether or not the system adds it. I will, however, note your account to credit that back considering the circumstances. If it is on your next bill, you can chat back and have that removed.

Adam Johnson:  {pondering this…}

CGI Elizabeth W :  We do not manually apply this fee. It is added to the bill (sometimes, not always) when services are reconnected. I cannot credit it back as it isn’t on your account. If it appears on your next statement, you can chat back and the agent will apply the $1.99 credit.

Adam Johnson:  lets go with that then. thx.

CGI Elizabeth W :  You are welcome. Can I assist you with anything else this evening?

Adam Johnson:  just make the sales people stop calling me. I tell them EVERY time: I’m happy with cellular, and I do NOT have a TV…

CGI Elizabeth W :  I will put you on our Do Not Call List.

Adam Johnson:  really?! that would be stellar, elizabeth

CGI Elizabeth W :  I will do that now. Can I assist you with anything else this evening?

Adam Johnson:  that’s worth the $1.99. thanks. goodnight.

More inspirational, guilt-inducing racers in this year’s race. Technically the guilt isn’t your fault, its ours… Special thanks to the race organizers for inviting us to shoot this one. Though it was the 36th annual race, it was only the second time for us shooting it. It is a tad early for us to be awake, let alone standing on the side of the highway waiting for you to run past us, so more special thanks to veteran assistant Whitney Warstler for bringing the pot of coffee, and equal thanks to Todd Brassard for bringing us beer via bike as the sun warmed us up nicely on the pavement. There were a staggering 551 racers, and we did our best to shoot you all. Gallery here!

Again – congrats to everyone. Thanks for the smiles, the shout-outs, the thumbs-up, and the occasional tongue out at us.

AND – it is very sad, but we had a Petzl headlamp on the side of the highway, flashing towards oncoming traffic right near our hangout. We suspect a racer grabbed it for the lost & found. If you have seen it – we miss it… thanks!

*** GALLERY ***

Did you want just see the highlights? No problem. Take a peek and join our community.

Big weekend! It is summer now, so it is back to the life of living out of a suitcase by week and backpack by weekend. Special and continual thanks to studio manager Meghan McKilligan who serves as home base while photog #1 gallivants across the country. The team aligns on Saturday for a mission of supporting creative arts in downtown Houghton with the 10th annual Houghton Spring Arts & Music Festival and a gallery opening in our favorite barn-wood-walled brewery – the Keweenaw Brewing Co.

What are we unveiling?

We are *not* showcasing pretty brides, lush aerial landscapes, or cute kids. We are showing off a 5 hour, collaborative effort between our friends at the KBC and an array of confident, tattooed models under the direction of Whitney Warstler. We shot with natural light in multiple scenes at two locations: the downtown brewery, and the South Range facility. Fun, fun stuff with models who threw modesty to the wind and let us create art inside these two unique, commercial facilities. You might remember that we got in a bit of trouble with Facebook for posting a few of these (they banned our page and personal accounts for a week as punishment) so we are thrilled that the KBC embraces the project. Come on Saturday to see the work in 30″ glory. All images are available for purchase, and grab a cold beer while you are browsing.

stout

As an added incentive to see the new images, we’ve timed the unveiling during the 10th annual Art & Music Fest which is happening right outside KBC’s back door. Brockit Inc. has helped the Copper Country Community Arts Center with this fundraising effort for a number of years now, and it is guaranteed to delight you and your family. Over 40 artist booths, food, activities, and of course music will all take place on the upper parking deck from noon-7pm.

The music line-up:

12:30 Huffing Pink
1:45 Gratiot Lake
3:00 Jellikit
4:15 Uncle Pete’s All Star Barbecue Blues Band
5:45 PasiCats

The event has some great sponsors and supporters including yours truly, and all our friends at Brassard Media, the MTEC Smart Zone, Minnesota Public Radio, the Keweenaw Brewing Company, Bohemia Printing, Wicker and Willow, Surplus Outlet, Rhythm Skateshop, Pizzaworks, The Blue Iris, The Lunchbag, Chickadees, and Downwind Sports.What a collection!

As added, extra incentive – a jet-lagged Adam Johnson will be helping emcee the event as well as running the music between sets.

What a Saturday – show up and enjoy it with us!

We’re all about supporting community, and this one is no exception.

GLOBAL CITY is a student organization at Michigan Tech dedicated to addressing critical, global issues, especially those that most directly impact developing countries. Its members meet regularly to attend presentations by invited speakers (our own Adam Johnson presented recently) to give presentations, present research, and to pursue the three main goals of the organization, which are:

To foster cooperation and understanding among nationals of different countries.

To promote interest in international affairs such as the environment, human rights, technology transfer, poverty, development, and sustainability.

To provide a forum for the presentation of innovative ideas to benefit the university and the world community.

The Global City group has solicited photo contributions from its members for an exhibit at the Keweenaw Brewing Co. Why are we involved? We like community, we like photos, and we like the KBC! We’ve offered to host their photos and facilitate the voting process.

These photos offer a glimpse of where Global City members have been and what they have captured that helps us to understand our own global community.

Please view the categories and photos within each to select your favorite images. You may select up to 3 photos per category, and you can give it a Facebook ‘Like’ or just leave a comment. The group will tally the results, and pick the winners. Excellent we will vote too! The breakdown is pretty simple, the five images with the most votes per category (Culture and People, Sustainability, and Landscapes) will be selected for printing and mounting. An overall prize will be awarded to the photo with the most votes per category. Photographers names and titles have been left out, images stand on their own on the voting site.. If your photo is selected you will be contacted to provide a title and one to two lines describing the photo for the exhibit at the KBC (if you haven’t already done so).

You have until midnight on Saturday, the 23rd of April to get your vote in. Start viewing now!

We’ve used our studio as many things: lounge, dining room, movie theater, tattoo parlor, nursery, kennel, and oh yeah… a studio. Well now its time again to use it as a classroom.

On Saturday, April 23rd from 10AM – 3PM, we’ll be hosting our second public photography class for adults in our Hancock studio. Who is it geared for you ask? If you nod your head or exclaim ‘yes!’ to at least two of the below, you should join us.

You have a good eye, but are wrestling with your digital camera.
You have good gear, but an eye that needs some training.
Your kids and pets deserve better photos than what you are currently giving them.
All the buttons on the back of your camera remain a mystery to you.
You are regularly asking ‘how did you take that photo?!’
You know someone who could take great photos if they just had some basic knowledge.
Your photos look great on the camera, but are you unsure of what to do with them on the computer.
You want to spend more quality time with your favorite photographer.
You are unsure what to give your best friend for Christmas.

Enter ‘photography for everyone – taking better photos of the things you love.’

Participants will bring their own camera for a 5 hour hands-on, intensive session that will cover:

• basics on photography (light, depth, framing)
• mechanics of your own camera
• image processing, sharing, printing, and archiving
• hands-on exercises in-studio with live models
• photo critiques, tips, and equipment recommendations

The Brockit crew will provide:

• studio space
• instructor and assistants
• eclectic background music
• live models
• a variety of beverage selections
• catered lunch from our friends at the Keweenaw Coop
• a decade of photo experience to share

This is a hands-on class for adults, and limited to the first 10 participants at a cost of $250.

If you are interested, please do the following:

• Sign-up using the form below, and please indicate your equipment and diet preferences
• Wait for a confirmation from our studio, after which you will:
• Make a deposit for the class.

Hope to see you there – this will be fun!

*** See photos and comments from previous classes below ***

tricky lighting

before & after

aperture demo

adjusting for exposure

And a gallery from Brockit’s BettyJean

And what did attendees say?

Fabulous photo class today, brockit!

I had so much fun at the session and feel like I can finally grasp what I have been reading all of this time……..
there was a ton to cover, and even with my camera, I felt like I was able to improve my pictures by the end of the day…and even the ones that didn’t turn out technically great, are cool in a way!!!

thanks for the e-mail – it was a fun day. I am very interested in more classes

Thank YOU and the Brockit staff. I am interested in the “intermediate” class.

The class you held was fantastic and helped me in many areas that the online class did not. I was glad I had taken the online one just to get that step ahead on my camera before heading to the one you held.

Thanks so much for the workshop. Before I came in, I had no idea what ‘F-stop’ meant!

i had a blast yesterday and wanted to thank you again for teaching me how to finally get my camera off the P! i was messing around with shooting my daughter and got this awesome shot… on purpose; fully manual with all the settings chosen by yours truly. usually it’s just a fluke if i can get this good of a shot of her as she’s flying around the house. and even then i have to monkey with it in lightroom to get the colors and exposure looking right.

thanks for taking your time to teach us!  It was great fun, great food, and great learning!

and:

well, with a hottie like Rosie, you can’t go wrong!!