I am leaving on a jet plane...

Actually... I'm leaving in a minivan.

In the wee hours of November 24th we (me and my gaggle of girls) are heading off to North Carolina for Thanksgiving / family reunion celebration and as if that wasn't enough we leave from there and head to Disney for a week with my mom and stepdad.

I don't share this with you just because I'm squealing like an excited little girl, but also so you'll know that for the next 2 weeks posting on Weekly Photo Tips will be more fluff than substance (mostly images I capture during my trip).

Speaking of images, if you know of any cool shooting opportunities in the Raleigh North Carolina or Orlando Florida areas PLEASE leave a comment or drop me an email.

And for you funny folks out there, I know Disney is a cool shooting opportunity, I was thinking of something outside the park.

;)

The only down side is I'm going to miss my dogs. When my wife saw the 2 pages of instructions I put together for the person coming to stay with our dogs she just walked away shaking her head and mumbling something.

You can click on the image for a better view of my three girls (the image will open larger in a new window).

MMM... S'MORES!

Looking for a late night treat to serve your guests at your winter wedding? What could be better than the gooey goodness of s'mores? There's something nostalgic about them... bringing back childhood memories of roasting marshmallows over a fire and smushing them together with graham crackers, melting chocolate in between. Set aside a special table at your reception to display all the ingredients and when the timing's right, encourage your guests to dig in!

Photo Credits: West Park Photography

More on the LiteDome xs...

Yesterday I posted a review on the LiteDome xs (watch the YouTube video here) and I wanted to share some images from a recent shoot where the only light source was a LiteDome xs.

All three of the images were taken using a single Nikon SB-800 in a LiteDome xs (hand held), and a 4' x 4' white reflector.

That's it.

It's very lightweight and portable which made moving from shooting location to shooting location quick and easy.

Click on any image to view larger (and in a new window).

Review of the LiteDome xs by Photoflex ...

Recently I reviewed theDavid Honl DVD "Light" and in it he uses the LiteDome xs from Photoflex extensively and since it hit my doorstep, so do I.

This is a great little softbox, I use it on a light stand in the studio, I use it hand held outdoors or on location, in fact rarely do I shoot and not use the LiteDome xs.

The quality of the materials and the construction is outstanding.

So is the price, it has a "suggested" retail price of $79.95 but you can get it for less (Adorama has it for $75 with free shipping).

This past Monday I lent my "bag of light" to a friend who was shooting Inuit artifacts for a major university and of all the flashes, pocket wizards, flim flams, and doo wizzies that I gave him to use he liked the LiteDome the best.

It is not uncommon to get the same two responses from other photographers when I show it to them, the first is "wow", the second is "where can I get one?".

You're probably thinking "Scott is pretty wishy washy on this one, I wonder if he likes it?".

;)

If you want more details check out the hardware, components, and instructions here.

Better yet, take two minutes (and forty seven seconds) to watch the video below and I think you'll get my point (subscribers - make sure you come back to the blog to view the video or watch it on YouTube because videos still don't get pushed through with your subscription, sorry).

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

Photo Credits: James Christianson

SHOE BLING - BLING IT ON!!

Canadian company Erica Giuliani was founded in 2008 after discovering a hot new trend emerging in the fashion industry and identifying an untapped niche in the market. From simple clips and sparkly shoe strap jewellery to stylish boot sleeves and cozy fun fur leg warmers, their fierce collection of accessories (also known as "shoellery") instantly transforms your plain jane footwear into fashion statements. These accessories can easily be applied to your shoes or boots allowing women to mix, match and customize their looks.

Designed in Italy, the accessories are made from a variety of materials and divided into collections depending on their style. Popular with brides-to-be are the shoe clips and sparkly shoe strap jewellery, turning your regular wedding day shoes into something unique and really special. Prices range from $20 to $125 a pair.

Here are some of Viva's favourites!

THE MAN-GAGEMENT RING - DIAMONDS CAN BE EVERYONE'S BEST FRIEND!

You heard right, man-gagement ring. Don't laugh, we're not kidding. The engagement ring for men is a trend that's growing in popularity. Women are no longer the only ones telling the world they're taken with a little bling. More and more women are buying engagement rings for their future husbands and more and more men actually want to wear them. Infact, the demand for man-gagement rings has grown to the extent that high end designers are now including them in their collections of wedding jewelry stating that couples are looking for new ways to celebrate their love and publicly declare their intent for life long commitment before their big day.

Some skeptics just aren't buying it though and believe that in this rough economy the groom's engagement band is just a sales tactic, invented by jewelers to trick young couples into spending money, and don't believe there's a man out there who would be excited about showing off his shiny new engagement ring to his pals. The tradition of his and hers engagement rings however is said to date back to the 15th century. In many European countries couples exchange matching gold bands before tying the knot. Now the male engagement ring is starting to catch on here in North America too.

Brides.com conducted a pole asking women if they'd consider buying their fiancé an engagement band. 45% said yes. Would you?

Photo Credits: Scott Kay