Q&A | Calibration, straps and more... | Pierre B Photo

Random questions received via email, twitter or in person… 🙂

Question:

Hi Pierre,
I stumbled onto your site this summer. Love it. The re-do is real nice. Tracked you down on twitter and fb so I know when your site gets updated!
I started shooting some shows basically in August and love the satisfaction you get when you know you got that ‘keeper’ shot. For now, a ‘real’ job is still reality (sigh).
Anyway…I had a couple of questions and I really have no idea who to ask. You can only google so much. And you do the same stuff I try/want to do. So who better to ask, right?
Monitor calibration. What do you use? Or do you? What do you think of Spyder4 Pro $169…if anything

Straps. What do you use? Or do you just have the regular straps and the camera bodies fly all over? Or a belt system? Looking into Black Rapid DR1 at $169.
I figure before I drop any coin on these items I should check with someone who lives it.

Answer:

Feel free to ask away, I’m usually pretty open with what I do 🙂

I do calibrate with a Spyder. I currently have the 3 Pro (prior version to the current…uh… Spyder 4 Pro haha). There are other calibration tools out there as well… X-Rite makes some great stuff . If your images are going to be printed, its key to calibrate but its also really important you print at a reputable shop. Going to cheapo places means that their stuff isn’t calibrated.

If your stuff is going online, then its pretty pointless as its going to be viewed by people who have uncalibrated monitors, so you have no control over what they see. I used to look at my images at my work computers (uncalib) and they were crap looking… dark, yellow… Cant control what others do (or don’t!). But it’s still important to calibrate. Take note to calibrate in a typical light setup for when you are working on images. Calibrating during the day is different light that at 11pm where you only have your desk lamp on. Wall colour impacts things just as posters and other things that may add a colour cast in the ambient light. You don’t have to go totally ape shit over this, but still good to know.

I have 2 straps. If I’m using 2 cams (which I usually do), I use the BlackRapid double. Love this thing. Specially when shooting a 3 day festival. Neck straps tend to get really uncomfortable. I find the BR is really helpful in keeping my old back in a decent shape. I have a BR Sport slim strap for when I’m using just one camera or doing urban shots. Small, comfy… great. I had the RS5, which is more padded and has a place for a cell phone and stuff… it was way too bulky and annoying. And my iphone barely fit in there. Sold it on kijiji a few months after I bought it.

Have a question? Feel free to contact me 🙂