Photo Accessory Reviews

Photographer Ryan Stout used his engineering skill to create “Arsenal” which he describes as “the world’s first intelligent assistant for DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The idea is that with this compact, wireless device you can use an iOS or Android smartphone to control your camera and take the guesswork out of capturing great images.

Photographers should back up their image files—it’s as simple as that—and there are numerous services that offer their services today. In this article I’ll be looking at one, Carbonite (www.carbonite.com), that works somewhat differently from others. Many people have told me that their $59 per year for the Home Plan, unlimited backup, is a steal, so I thought I’d check it out.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever taken a flash photo and wished a) it wasn’t so washed out, b) it didn’t have those harsh, black shadows behind the subject, c) it wasn’t so bluish all over, or d) it were possible to do it all over again because the results just plain sucked. Does this picture sound familiar? You need a flash modifier. In fact, you may need a BounceLite.

Wet happens. Having photography without protection in unstable climates is more than risky—it’s an invitation to calamity. Practicing unprotected video may seem like a safer alternative, but that’s a myth. Why take chances with something as precious as your camera? Here’s a look at five products you should have on hand when life deals up an unexpected cloudburst.

Many people still use the wide camera strap that came with their digital camera, but I’ll never understand why. You wouldn’t wear the same shoes for all occasions and all weather conditions, would you? High heels to play softball? Moccasins with a tuxedo? Here are three unique straps from three excellent companies because one is not enough. 

Camera lens filters and adapters are among the least expensive accessories that can make a big difference in your images, especially when shooting outdoors. In fact, many experienced landscape photographers never leave home without a selection of these tools.

A few years back, while waiting for a beautiful but thoroughly flakey model in the parking lot of a restaurant near Liberty State Park, my boredom was interrupted by a black Lincoln Town Car that slipped suspiciously past me and parked a few spaces away. After several minutes, two men exited the sedan. They were wearing tuxedos and looked rather serious. The trunk lid popped open. Ignoring me completely, they rummaged through the trunk. One of the men removed his tux jacket and strapped on a large black holster. A moment later, the other did the same. I slid down in my seat, wondering if I was about to witness some weird reenactment of High Noon, right there in Jersey City.