Portrait Lighting Class Schedule
This is a brand new class that we’re offering and its going to be great. The class is limited in size (6-8 people) so everyone gets hands on training. We’ll have a professional model in the studio, which we will be photographing as Dave explains various lighting techniques. He will be showing us how to position the lights, the appropriate camera settings and how to pose the model. Make sure to bring your camera!
You can register for the class now! All you have to do is call (503.292.6996 x.21) or stop by the store. The class is $149 and it’s pre-paid. This includes hands on training, a 8×10 handout on various lighting techniques and the model:) The class is filling up now so please don’t hesitate to call, sign up today!
Class Dates:
September 23rd, 6:30-9:30 Tuesday night
October 28th, 6:30-9:30 Tuesday night
Beginners & Pros:
This is a three hour course designed to help all types of digital photographers understand light and how to control it. Maybe you’re a working professional whom wants a different perspective, needs conformation, or suggestions on what you’re already doing. Or a beginner who is interested in learning about various lighting techniques that may help you take better pictures: Inside your house, outside your house, of friends and family, vacation pictures, of still life subjects and even landscapes.
“The Studio”
Sophisticated portrait techniques are not difficult to master and studio lighting and equipment can be affordable. Due to Dave’s easy going personality and years of experience, he is able to help photographers of all levels understand light and how to direct or diffuse it. He will also discuss equipment that will help you take better pictures. You will learn how to:position lights in the right place,how to pose people correctly, how various forms of lighting equipment are used.
Before & After
2-light Kit Special when you sign up Now $349 Normally $399
The essentials to your first studio. It consists of the following: (case not included)
2—150 Watt lights
2—Light Stands
1— Light box
1—Umbrella
Power Cords
About Our Instructor
Dave Hutt is a professional photographer with nearly 30 years of experience in studio and commercial photography. The past 6 years he has been mainly involved in the sales and training of various digital cameras and lighting systems for law enforcement, commercial photographers, and dental professionals. www.dmddigitalphoto.com
Topics of Discussion:
Main light
Direct Light “Specular”
Indirect Light “Diffuse”
Reflector light
Fill light.
Background Light
Hair Light
Rembrandt Light
Lighting Ratios
Custom White Balance
How to use a flash meter
Camera settings: i.e. Shutter Speed 1/125 Aperture f/8 ISO 200
Various forms of lighting equipment and when and how they are used
One mans junk is another mans treasure…
I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, “One mans junk is another mans treasure.” 
Every year, when the weather turns for the better, Advance Camera has a table out front with all kinds of used photo stuff. This stuff consists of: filters, straps, bags, cases, caps, stepping rings, cords, tripods, L-brackets… all kinds of different miscellaneous items for cheap price$. Prices range from $1 up to $10, and if you buy a couple items, and you ask nicely… whomever is at the counter will cut you a deal.
These hot deals only last as long as the weather does. Also know, that we are continuely adding more product to the table. We hope to see you soon!
Binoculars & Adapters
As featured in Outdoor Life Magazine for August outdoor gear round-up. They hailed our ZRS as Knock Around Binoculars…”The new Zen-Ray-Summit 8×42 is a terrific bargain. You will like its durable, hard-rubber camouflaged armor, extremely long 18 millimeters of eye relief and sure locking eyecups. Ergonomically, this full size binoculars almost feels like a mid-size, with is compact frame…. they will certainly get the job done on any deer stand”.- Outdoor Life Magazine, Aug 2008, Page 57
I have been using the ZRS (Summit) 8X32 binoculars you gave me to try and I continue to be very impressed with their quality. I have shown them to several other bird watchers and they have all thought they were very good. When I tell them that they cost under $150 they can’t believe it. I think you have a very good product that will easily compete with any other binocular near that price.
From James Davis- Portland Metro Naturalist and Renowned Birder
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I wanted to get a second pair of binoculars for our cruise this past May so we would not be fighting over one. While using this web sight to research other “stuff” I had read some posts about the Zen Ray Summit binoculars so I splurged and bought a pair. My partner thought I was crazy for spending money on a pair of binoculars, then turned around and kept hogging my crazy binoculars because they were so much better than hers (brand name removed). I do not know a thing about binoculars, and I used think the (brand name removed)’s we had were great. But now, they are marked for our next garage sale.
-iluvnm65
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Hi Jen,
got back from Alaska on Sunday night. Have to say we loved the zen ray binos. Can’t thank you enough for the sample 2009 one. We really needed the second pair. Both binos worked great…great quality. We think the vision with the 2009 one was a bit brighter.
will highly recommend your binos to everyone.
Ellen W. from Florida
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How to Use Binoculars
By James Davis , Metro Park Naturalist
You will only get the most out of your binoculars (”binos”) if you know how to adjust them properly. Many people do not know how to use the Adjustable Eyepiece (diopter) and never really see as well as they could with their binoculars.
Here are easy, step by step instructions for making the FOUR adjustments needed to get the best out of your “binos.”
Note: This is why sharing binoculars is not usually practical. Each person needs to have a pair of binoculars adjusted for his or her eyes.
1. EYECUPS
Modern binoculars have either soft rubber eyecups or twist up/down eyecups on the eyepieces that can fold down or rotate down to adjust for eyeglasses. If you use binos with your glasses on, rotate down eyecups so the end of the eyepiece is as flat as possible. Put the flat eyepiece right on your glass’s lens when using the binos. If you are not wearing glasses, leave the eyecups extended. A few types of binoculars have eyecups that screw in to get flat for glasses.
2. HINGE
The two halves of the binos are joined together in the center with a hinge. This is so you can move them in and out until they are the right distance apart for your eyes. While looking through the binos, move them in and out until you have one big, clear, circular field of view. If you get dark patches or crescents in the center or on the sides, they are too close together. You should never see two circles. Keep fiddling with them until you get the best field of view and don’t be afraid to keep adjusting them throughout the day.
3. CENTRAL FOCUS
Hold the binoculars in both hands and reach to the center with a big finger or two and turn the wheel in the center. This is the Central Focus . Turn the central focus back and forth every time you look at something new to get the sharpest, clearest image you can. However, your eyes are probably not the same and you need to make one more adjustment to see as well as you can with your binoculars.
4. ADJUSTABLE EYEPIECE
” Left eye - Central Focus then Right eye - Adjustable Eyepiece “
This is the most confusing thing about using binoculars. Almost no one ever explains it on nature and birding walks and it is often poorly explained in the instructions that come with binoculars (yes, there were some). It is even explained wrong in some bird watching books.
When you use the Central Focus , you focus the two sides of the binoculars at the same time. BUT, your eyes are probably not identical. So you need to adjust your binoculars so each side is in focus for each eye at the same time. You do this by using the Adjustable Eyepiece through diopter .
FIND IT — The Adjustable Eyepiece is the one that TURNS and it will have a simple scale on the underside of the eyepiece with a ” -, 0, + ” and another mark next to the scale on the bino frame. Binos differ, but almost all have the Adjustable Eyepiece on the right. Find your Adjustable Eyepiece and turn it. Find the scale on the underside and set it at “0″ or “in the middle”.
Here is the easiest way to make this adjustment, step by step.
(For an Adjustable Eyepiece on the right.)
• Pick something sharp and clear to look at, a medium distance away, like a sign.
• Make the other adjustments and focus on the sign with the Central Focus as best as you can.
• Close your right eye and use the Central Focus to get the left eye’s image as sharp as possible. You are only looking through the left side of your binos.
• Now, close your left eye and open your right eye. Don’t touch the Central Focus . You are now looking through only the right side of your binos.
• Here’s the tricky move. Turn the Adjustable Eyepiece back and forth with your right hand until you get the sharpest image you can in your right eye . See? You are matching your right eye to the left eye.
• Open your left eye and the object should be in sharp focus in both eyes. To check, focus on something else using both eyes with the Central Focus , then alternate looking with one eye and then the other. The image in both eyes should look the same and be in sharp focus. If not, try turning the Adjustable Eyepiece a tiny bit back and forth to see if you can get it sharper. Sometimes you just have to fiddle a bit with the Central Focus and the Adjustable Eyepiece until you get them just right.
• When you have the Adjustable Eyepiece in the right position, look at the scale and remember that setting. This is your basic setting for those binos, always start with that. Many people find that their eyes change from time to time so don’t be afraid to keep fiddling with it to get the best image you can.
Remember: Left eye - Central Focus then Right eye - Adjustable Eyepiece