Sunday 29 May 2011

Getting there with Photography: by Dom Bower

YeeHaa! I have finished my book!  Only taken me 2 years to get it finished. Large amount of procrastination and also fear of actually ever finishing it.









So for the first fortnight I am going to have the book at a discounted rate for all you loyal followers and Youtube subscribers.

The book is Produced by the online book making company Blurb who are the guys I use for all my wedding albums.  This is by far the biggest book I have made with the most amount of information and detail possible. A full 120 pages long (not bad for my first book). I could have made it twice as long but once you go past 120 pages the price jumps up a big notch again.

The book is a new concept in photography books.  Many times I have walked into book shops and flicked through the photography book titles on show and walked away thinking "what a pretentious load of shit" or massively unmotivated by the bland snap shot black and white images of arty, or famous people, or even also disheartened by seeing photography that is on such a scale that is impossible for many if not all other photographers to reach. i.e. Gregory Crewdson, David Lachapelle, etc.

Well that is where my book is different.  I am not a photography lord/guru but I am a hard working, trying my hardest, confident, try my luck anywhere type of guy, and in the book I will show you how sometimes my positive thinking and contact making has helped me make images that a year or so before hand I may never have had the chance.  

I show everything, the mistakes I have made and also give tips on how you can do the cool images I have created and make even better versions. I point you to things that you should watch out for and also give you the Aperture, ISO and Shutter speed settings for almost every photo in the book!

I'll give you an insight into how I have gone from the Dyslexic kid at school who was taken out of all creative classes - to focus more on maths and english - to ending up doing photoshoots with Playboy models and running one of the biggest photography blog channels on youtube.

Getting There with Photography





Tin Lee

P.S. I have already finished your book, i know it has taken almost 2 year of your time to get it finish, but it is a real page turner, and I bought it with me every where I go ( and I have to say it is a really good toilet read)!

P.S.S Look at the picture! there is a flash with a red colour gel on a light stand ..... ar... and there is a Dom's book as well :P 







Book Comments



    • Celio H. Barreto Congratulations Dom! Feeling very proud over here!
      Monday at 5:32pm · 

    • Simon Mc Garry love the book dom great work
      Monday at 6:49pm · 

  • ‎...a teaching and motivational book written by Dom Bower ...has TONS of fantastic information! In print and now ready for orders!! Check it out!!! ♥♥♥ bookhttp://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/2215491

    • David LaneJure Ogrin and 2 others like this.

      • Jure Ogrin love it!!!
        May 29 at 9:37pm · 

      • Jamielynn Ryan very cool! can't wait to get my copy..
        May 30 at 12:36am · 

      • David Lane Just orderderd..looking forward to it.
        May 30 at 10:22am · 





        Awwwsum !!!!!!!!!! hard cover ordered cant wait!!!!!!!!!





        • Kim Grant Oh wow congratulations!!!! :D and go you on getting it all finished, can't wait to see it, I would feel bad getting a copy though since a lot of hard work went into it , I would buy it if I had the cash, I could take a peek at yours though? Next youll be making millions :P
          May 30 at 2:31pm · 

        • Dom Bower No you deffo get a free one. but if your dad wanted to buy one after that, that would be most welcome!
          May 30 at 2:32pm · 

        • Kim  Grant ‎:D I will share the link on my wall so everyone can see it








            • Cesca Howard Dom, it looks awesome! Well done man. Really really beautiful shots in there, from what I can see online. Good on you!


  • Babs Dawson Aw Dom! Congratulations! what an awesome thing to have done, I am well impressed! What have you said about me? I hope you haven't tarnished my glowing reputation! xx
    May 31 at 5:53pm · 

  • Dom Bower Said that thanks to you introducing me to your friend Dave who then introduced me to his friend Craig McLaren that i have had so many photography adventures and new contacts.
    May 31 at 8:53pm · 







    • wouldn't you know it, I left home this morning from Melb Oz to go to Syd Oz to work up there until friday, my wife just texted me and said i got a parcel today, must be Dom's book, bugger, bugger, bugger, just my luck


      the book just come through the post this morning!!!! a proud owner of Dom's photography books !!!


      June 9 at 11:24am ·  ·  · 


Got home and to my amazement i found this in the mail... Well done Dom !!!










Tuesday 24 May 2011

Manfrotto Fig Rig Test



My work has obtained (dont think it bought it) a Manfrotto Figrig. Which is a fairly basic camera stabiliser yet is not sold at a basic price…


You hold it at the sides so that the vibration in the middle is much less.

You can mount extra things onto it such as a mic, flashes, and lights but that does make it a lot heavier.

The rig itself is very light.
If shooting with a small camera such as what i am shooting with in the video above (Canon 550d) (video of all the details of that camera) and a wide angle lens the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 then the rig is still pretty light and well balanced and easy to hold.

It offers a little more security in that you have 2 handles instead of holding your camera with your sweaty hands

But it could get tiring if you have puny arms or if you are a girl. Or if you have a heavier camera and heavier lens and holding it for a longer time.

It also makes you look a bit strange walking around with a steering wheel infront of your face.

Versatility:  It is very good if you want to shoot from a doggy eye view, something that a shoulder rig would be impossible with. same with being able to hold it in front of you and also out to your side. and above your head. Giving this item versatility that many other rigs do not give you.

Quality of results: It is ok, I can definitly see some improvement, and I am sure if I was snowboarding down a hill I would be even more impressed.  But for general everyday shooting?   …. If i have to factor in the price then I am not seeing a big enough improvement really.

Ease of use:  Its easy to pick up and put down with camera attached, and is very easy to use and does not need any assembling.  Its idiot proof.









Score:

Weight          5/5 (very light)
Versatility     4/5 (lots of angles to be had)
Ease of use   5/5 (very smiple)
Build Q        5/5 (cant be faulted)
Results         2/5 (nothing to shout home about)
Price             2/5 (far to expensive for what it is)








Monday 23 May 2011

Novoflex: How to put a Nikon g-type lens onto a Canon dslr Body (EOS/NI...














Score:

Build quality     5/5
Ease of use     4/5 (getting it off can prove tricky, no chance with gloves on)
Results           5/5 works perfectly and aperture change is nice and smooth)
Price               2/5 (although no alternatives it is heck-a-expensive for what it is)











and the cheap version is this

http://dombowerphoto.blogspot.com/2011/01/nikon-lens-to-canon-eos-camera-adapter.html




My new photography book. click below



Wednesday 18 May 2011

Undfind, manfrotto and Cheswick





Links to the guys in the video go http://chiswickcameras.co.uk/ for getting me my second hand Nikon D700 and getting it delivered perfectly on time (that may be in large part thanks to the Royal mail though)

The sponsors get the link of the previous blog post (click here)

And the manfrotto figrig gets this link


Manfrotto 595B Fig Rig


Nikon D700 Digital SLR Camera Body Only



My new photography book. click below


Saturday 14 May 2011

Flickr critique page (1-10)

So if you are wanting a quicker chance to get your photos critiqued send them over to the new flickr page

But I would say get your photos in quick as it is going to get full quickly!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1715203@N22/

First critique










(shot above is from the RAW edit with Jared Polin) 




My new photography book. click below