“Slap magenta on the lens, and you really clean things up, from shadows to highlights to skin tones.” Is this still a thing? Is this still relevant? I’ve never heard of anyone using magenta filters lately, as the white balancing in-camera gets stronger. It’s an interesting concept, however, as he states that the sunsets get only more magenta with the filter and the cityscape gets cleaned up, all the while keeping the subject clean. I doubt I’ll have a reason to buy a magenta ND filter in the near future, but I’ve been wrong before.

    The second time that he mentions zooming his strobe, he mentions zooming it to 105mm. This is interesting to me, in the sense that both examples that he provided and had discourse over were inherently different at different distances, etc. I know his strobe can zoom to 200mm, he said it earlier, so I can’t help but wonder if 105 is the magic number?

    “They are big sumbitches.” Single handedly the greatest textbook quote of all-time. What he describes here very, very vividly is a challenge for all photographers. Most still try a Hail Mary (or as he describes it, a frikkin’ Novena), and I have more than once done the same. Rarely do I end up turning in those photos. I just may try his method – strapping on a monopod and “flying.” Hopefully I can turn out something similar in regards to his beautifully moving mosh pit.

    He uses cloudy white balance often, an interesting use of white balance to make soft golden lighting. I really need to remember to manipulate this more often. In many of his portraits that he uses as examples in this chapter, it seems as if he could easily use cloudy white balance to give his subjects a nice golden glow and fill the rest with soft flash. And furthermore, Father Pre-Flash should lead us into Photography Nirvana. “There is hope.” I’m sold. He can be my Messiah.

    Can I just…? “On location, never go audible with your interior desperation…When it does work, I completely understand… For a few brief and shining moments, it means that you don’t have to be an angst-ridden puddle of insecurity at the camera. It positively makes you want to Riverdance!” This. This is exactly how I feel with portraits. It’s like an equation that I just don’t have all the pieces to. It’s like an unruly child that you just can’t seem to figure out how to make compliant. I am learning a good deal here, but I’m hoping that you can help me to elaborate. Taking beautiful pictures of people is somewhat important.