Incredible iPhone Drop

I never thought this would happen to me.

Last night, I was sitting in the top row of the gym bleachers cheering on my boys in their final home game of the season. I like sitting up there because I can lean back on the wall.

During a timeout, I pulled the iPhone out of my bag to check messages. Not much going on, so I slid the iPhone into the back pocket of my Urban Reporter 150. Or so I thought.

Instead, the iPhone went in to a free fall along the wall down the back of the bleachers. Yes, I had missed the pocket and essentially dropped the iPhone 5s from the top of the stands to the floor.

Just a day before, I had swapped out cases, and the device was sporting a Tech21 D3O Impact Case. It features "Impactology". It's no joke. Here's a snippet from their product description.

"The D3O is a patented protective material that combines enhanced chemistry with product engineering to produce high performance shock absorption and impact protections solutions. The same revolutionary technology is used by the US Special Forces and Ministry of Defence as well as in Sports such as motorcycling and skiing."

After I had realized that I had dropped the case, Theresa volunteered to climb under the stands to retrieve it for me. That's not really a tall guy activity. And I so appreciated the gesture.

Minutes later, she returned with my phone. It worked perfectly. There wasn't scratch on it. The case wasn't even scuffed. It had literally dropped from the top of the gym, to the wood floor, and was perfectly fine.

In my mind, this is both a testament to the excellent construction of the iPhone 5s and the space age design of the Tech 21 case.

Talk about dodging a bullet...

-Derrick

The Importance of SA

My workshops can be problematic for spouses.

Yes, their loved ones have a great time. They get to spend a couple days completely immersed in pursing their passion of photography. This is all good.

But what also happens is that their partners learn about new software, lenses, cameras, accessories, bags, and whatever else comes up in conversation. These discoveries can put pressure on the family credit card.

I'll always remember how this was addressed at a workshop last year. One of the participants was talking about a new camera with a fellow photographer. At one point, he remarked, "Ah, but do you have SA?"

"SA?" asked his comrade.

"Yes, do you have Spousal Approval?"

"Oh, that. I don't know."

"Well, I highly recommend that you get SA before moving forward."

SA is important. And it's not just for purchases. 

In my case, for example, I run a business. So as long as my bottom line is in the black, I can make my own money decisions. I love that! Where SA comes in to play for me, has to do with time. More importantly, how I spend it.

If I want to fly to New York to speak, I should get SA. For others, it's the purchase of a new camera.

The bottom line is, that every relationship has its priorities, whether it be money, time, friendships, or recreation. Like the wise photographer that attended my workshop, be aware of the priorities in your relationship.

And don't forget about SA.

-Derrick

It's Like Porn, Isn't It?

I was looking at some very alluring pictures online last night.

Beautiful curves, silky textures, all perfectly lit.

The Canon GX 1 Mark II, Panasonic GH4, Olympus OM-D E-M10, Sony a6000, Sigma DP2 Quattro... and that's just this week's new offerings. It goes on from there.

I love the camera that I have now. It's attractive and takes very good care of me. And if it wasn't for the Internet, I wouldn't even know about these other temptations.

So here's the way I deal with it. This is fantasy.

I can think about buying the new Canon, Sony, Sigma. I then imagine myself on a rugged cliff overlooking the churning ocean thrashing against weathered rocks just below a thin line of fog that's perfectly lit.

The shutter clicks on my Canon, Sony, Sigma. And I capture the perfect exposure. The image is purchased by Canon, Sony Sigma and featured on a giant banner that hangs over the entry of Jacob Javits Center in New York for Photo Plus Expo 2014.

Whoa, I need a break from this.

I'm going to go spend time with my family.

I'm so lucky to have them.

-Derrick

Taking Things Apart

When I was growing up, an ongoing point of contention between my father and I had to do with my passion for taking things apart.

Everything was fair game: bicycles, power tools, lighting fixtures, discarded appliances - if it had screws, it was eligible for surgery.

His complaint was that I never put things back together. I told him that wasn't the point.

I didn't take things apart to fix them. I wanted to see what was inside. And to this day, the operating room is open for business.

Before I throw something away that no longer works, I want to see what's inside. For example, I've had an old battery-powered lightbox for years. I never really liked it because it was dim. That defeated the purpose in my mind. It was time to go.

So I got out the screwdrivers and dissected that old dimbox. The first thing I discovered was a wimpy fluorescent bulb. That figures. 

But it had this amazing rectangular reflector coated with a dimpled aluminum surface. Wow! This baby could bounce light. I fashioned a stand for it out of some other discarded pieces, and I'm using this reflector for my product photography. It's amazing.

I wanted to call my dad and let him know that once again my knack for taking things apart had paid off. Most folks would have just chucked the whole thing in the trash.

I didn't call. I know what his response would have been. "Great, but I still haven't found those vice-grips you lost."

Oh yeah, that was the other point of contention.

-Derrick

Paper or PDF?

I've always loved magazines.

As a kid, I wanted to shoot for LIFE. As an adult, I've subscribed to Pop Photo, Time, and countless others. Currently, my iPad mini has subs for these very same publications.

But I like paper too. And that's where things get messy.

We're in a publishing transition right now, and many publications still aren't quite as good electronically as they are on paper. A perfect example is one of my new gigs, c't Digital Photography Magazine. On paper: fantastic! Their iPad app c't Photo: not as strong.

Since I get both the paper and digital versions of c't with a subscription, I read the paper copy first, then recycle, then use the electronic version as my reference library. This is a major improvement over stacks of magazines in the corner of the office. But it still feels like an hybrid approach.

I'm curious. How do you tackle this? Are you paper only, PDF only, or a combination of the two?

I know there'll be a day when this conversation is as antiquated as a Kodak Brownie film camera. But right now, it's real.

The only thing that hasn't changed is my love for magazines.

-Derrick