Hey everyone!
I am not sure who all actually frequents this crazy blog but hey that's ok! This time around on the update front I have some new gear that I purchased that will be coming in today and tomorrow. For me this is going to represent a modest change in operation from my normal operations in the field. I decided to wander out and get myself a non-dedicated head tripod. Now I know what you are thinking (has Josh gone mad with power...is he drunk?) The answers to both of those thoughts are actually no, I know right?! Let me put it to you this way, for years I have been operation on standard tripods with dedicated PT (pan/tilt) heads but they can be a pain in the ass to setup sometimes and in the case of my current favorite tripod (Slik AMT) the adjustment handle on the tilt has to be taken off and threaded into the back of the pan handle. Makes setting up for fireworks take longer and kind of a hassle in any of the bags I use to cart around support structures (light stands, tripods, etc.) So by buying a tripod with a bare top and then mounting different heads to it made more sense. Plus if I want to wander more heavily back into video work I can always buy a fluid video head and mount it on this tripod. That was I don't have to buy and haul a different tripod. Like the universality of it, as long as I have the right head with me I can just grab the tripod and go. Now....all that having been said, I did splurge a little and went after a carbon fiber tripod this time around. I have aluminum and the AMT is a combination of aluminum and titanium. But I am looking to shave some weight from my rolling kit(s) for the fireworks and dog show stuff. Less weight means less effort going in and hauling out. For right now though the tripod is only going to be mounted with a ball head unit which should allow me to get into shows and in place much quicker than ever before. Once I deploy the legs all I have to do is take the camera and slide it onto the ball head since the one I have has a removable arca-swiss plate. I did look around at a bunch of heads, and I know that Joby and a couple other makers make really nice stuff, but I did not like the fact that they were using proprietary plates to mount the camera. OH...also as a nice little side thing worth noting, since I will now have a tripod capable of it I will probably be looking at a gimbal style head for shooting at the airshows now. No more using my own modified support stance for those panning shots. Can someone say...YE---AH!!!!! I also have a spare ball head unit coming in that I am going to be using this fireworks season with one of my Manfrotto stands. 

I have yet to order in my 2-AD200 Godox units but I need to get that order in soon to assure that they get here in time for the wedding that is booked on the 21st of July. I am going to be ordering the newer trigger from Godox for their radio system as well. The wedding is at the forefront of my thoughts and plans at the moment even though fireworks season is here in force. 

So as some maybe not all know at the moment of reading this, my next week or so are very busy with almost nightly shoots occurring all around me. Around the 4th every year I try to locate as many fireworks shows as I can and attend as many as I can. There are some that are new to me and if they don't conflict with a major show I like to shoot I try and work them into the schedule. This year the new shows are going to be a show over in Honesdale, I was looking at doing that show last year but possible bad weather put me off it. The only other non-familiar shows are up in NY state. I am going to try and attend shows at Canadaguia and Interlaken. Of course my entire schedule is weather dependent since shooting fireworks in the rain is akin to shooting photos at airshows in the rain, no fun and no use. My local show at Montrose is on the fourth and I will be in attendance this year. Last year I was hanging out with a friend and didn't make it to the show grounds in time. I am going to attempt the Abington Heights show again this year as last year those were some of the better shots I got. Of course at the end of the month is Harborfest! My big daddy of fireworks shows on the season. 

Ok, so I saved maybe the best part for last. Just yesterday MagMod (we should all know by now I am a HUGE fan!!!) put out the information on their new product line that they have been teasing for what seems like over a year! They finally did it, they are putting out a softbox and monolight modifier. So I am stoked to see it but it is pretty expensive, but I am going to try and get in on the KS campaign. If not, I will be buying them on the retail website as soon as they go live. I will not have them in time for any shoots this year but next year they are going to be in the rotation and lineup. Another one of those things of having equipment that is able to overlap and do a job in a pinch if something breaks/goes wrong. 

So in short...things are changing and staying the same as well. But the important part is that time is marching on!

-Stay Frosty!