Headphone deals - not something you see here often!

I've been following this new (to me) website called #MassDrop that gets together a bulk buy and offers gear at reduced rates - because who doesn't love reduced rates? Anyways, I'm in the market for a new pair of headphones after my much loved Denon's decided enough was indeed enough... I've come up with four drops that you might like to take part in, sharing...

I think I'm going to go with the Sony MDR-Z7 ($539 from $700)  - http://dro.ps/b/jpM12TT

But before we get into the pairs that I’ve looked at, below, here’s a good review of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro by Alex at Consordini who asked if I’d share his video, and it’s good, so I did :)

And now, on with the story…

Though at this price, the Fostex are very very tempting... $449 down from a cool $1000 - The special #purpleheart model. http://dro.ps/b/TiC12TT

I think the Beyerdynamic DT880 would be third on my list - http://dro.ps/b/TDq12TT $249 at the moment, typically $400'ish

And last but by no means least, the EMU Walnut cans, has anyone tried these? $299 down to a cool hundred bucks... http://dro.ps/b/KAs12TT

Anyways, some nice headphones and some good savings - there's a stack of stuff on Massdrop from socks to keyboards to RC trucks to... well, go have a look CLICK

Sony G Master 85mm - Would you?

Looking at my "lens path" which is a mythical path towards the ideal set of camera lenses that i want / need (want) and I see it has changed very much since my more serious involvement in photography. 

I was once all about the Canon 16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 and those three served me perfectly. I had the trilogy and I had a couple of extras, the f/1.8 Canon 85mm as well as the 100mm f/2.8 Macro, also Canon, then along came Sigma with their Art series and I found myself buying the 35mm f/1.4 (Brilliant lens!) for my brother's wedding, and then by some luck, I ended up with the 50mm f/1.4 - both stunning lenses. 

Then something happened that also happened to a lot of others - I switched out to Sony. 

It started with the Sony a7, that's gone now and I have an a7Mk2 and an a7RMk2, both stunning cameras, but this has actually led me to a different style of shooting - I find myself more measured and sticking with primes almost 100% of the time... I use the Sony 55mm f/1.8 a lot, I have a 35mm f/1.4 Distagon which is pretty much always on my camera... I've kept the 16-35 and the 100mm Canon lenses and will do so for a good while - I use them with a Metabones or Vizelux adaptor. 

BUT I've lost (read: sold) my 85mm Canon and I'm in the market for a great portrait lens, something a little longer. The G Master series is getting some amazing write ups and comment online, but it's a pretty expensive little beast! That said, I'm almost toying with selling the a7Mk2 and getting the 85mm... Not sure, torn, what would you do? I use the a7Mk2 infrequently, it's my spare - so to speak - but then, as I shoot for money so infrequently, I'm not sure I need it. The two body thing is a hangover from shooting music - one body with long, one body with wide. 

Time will tell! 

http://amzn.to/1nuSoVB <--- That's the lens I'm thinking of getting. 

I spend a lot of time on this phone...

My business is social media, so if I'm not at my desk, my phone is never far away. I don't use it for calls very much, mostly managing content / finding content / reading or looking at content AND for iPhoneography (is that what the kids call it) ...anyways, I've been using the iPhone 6Plus for a good while, but I might sell it and get an iPhone 7 when it comes out I think... I'm hearing little rumours like 'multi-lens cameras' and the like... That appeals! That said, I use my Sony cameras a lot of the time anyways. The thing about using your phone all the time is that people think you're uninterested in what's going on, but that's not (always!) the case. I am interested but I feel that if I don't check often that a. Someone will post something untoward on a client's social media and I'll miss seeing it until I'm back at my desk or b. I'll miss seeing something that will make good content! The reality is that mostly, neither of those things happen, so maybe it's time to use the phone less? After all, baristas in Melbourne are starting to get all cut up about people on phones! 

I'll just make my own, or is that not the point? 

Until next time... 

The short walk home

"Richmond is so culturally rich" 

I met Julie earlier and was talking with her about art and Richmond and photographing people in the street, nice to chat to you, Julie. People are only strangers until you talk to them. 

My journey back, earlier, incorporated a bit of this...

A short walk home punctuated with interesting people you've never met, the man from NZ who is living in Wales (I'm sorry, your name it escapes me!) running into Peter! Always good to see you, and chatting with you, Julie.

"People are only strangers until you talk to them" - Kate. 

Today, it's cold...

This was almost a lifetime ago, but damn it reminds me of good times! On the hill with David, Tom, Pasky, Jodes, Michelle, Amber -- #Utah 2009. #SnowBasin

Posted by Simon Pollock on Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Today we're talking about something cold and something hot. 

Cold, that's the video above, snow shenanigans from 2009... What a fun crew that was! Something hot, that's the fresh loaf that Kelsey is holding, below. Reunion & Co, my local, have allowed me to photograph their staff (they use the photos on Instagram, too) which is quite fun.

My admission is that I'm actually quite nervous about photographing people I don't know in a one-on-one kinda scenario... What freaks me is "Will they like the photo?" Kelsey didn't want her photo taken (hell, who would, really!) and so adding in a barrier between her and the camera, in this case the pass / servery, made it a little easier to take. It's especially scary at the moment as I've been using my beloved Sony a7 with a Fotodiox Vizelux EF adapter and any of my current lenses on the end of it. The one below was with a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens... What's scary about that? Well, sometimes I nail focus, sometimes I don't... I don't like soft eyes. Who does? Right! Nobody.

Enough of my complainin' Here's the photograph I made today - Banana bread. 

Today has also been a great day for breaking stuff... My Denon AH-D600 headphones split in the ear cup, one of my light stands snapped and as a result I found myself with a studio light sitting atop a mic stand. Yep. Classy. 

Studio-Flash.com | NANO2 

Anyways, off to photograph a rolling 60's bar, anyone wants it, it will be on eBay later...