The Summer Playlist you've been waiting for | Stoke-Ness
This summer has really gotten away from me.
For the first time in years, I allowed myself to slack off for a few months on writing this newsletter. It was refreshing, but mostly I missed the feeling of sharing everything I am excited about in one place.
This month I’m sharing the workshop I am taking, an IG account for the folks who grew up reading encyclopedias for fun, and my latest video about the coolest little motorcycle money can buy.
Be stoked,
Isaac
Adventure Buddies Film release date
Mark your calendars!
A film I have been working on and waiting to release for two years is finally here. I know I have been teasing you with it, and I am happy to announce we have our first screening dates!
Sunday, August 28th, Alex Strohl and I will be sharing the film locally in Whitefish, MT (exact location TBD) for those who can make the long trek out here. Then on Monday, August 29th, we will be doing an invite-only online premier where we watch the film with you and then do a Q&A after the film.
If you are subscribed to this newsletter you are invited to the showing (in person and online) and more details will be coming asap!
Gear and Tools
Which drone should you buy in 2022
You probably have a drone. At this point I think every photographer has bought a drone since they became ubiquitous around 2016.
But maybe you want to get an updated version and don’t know which is best. Well after buying a new drone last year and wishing I had waited for a newer model release I have some opinions.
DJI is the only real option here unless you are an athlete and want an autonomous drone to follow you (skydio) so that’s the brand I’ll be comparing.
Air 2s
After my Mavic 2 Pro I flew for 3 years decided to end its life and fly 200’ down into solid rock in Utah, I was in the market for new copter. I didn’t really want the Air 2s but didn’t see any better options on the horizon.
The drone is tiny, flys well, has great battery life and the auto video modes make camera moves look so professional.
That said, the photos it takes are flat, lifeless captures that are uninspiring to edit. It does as good as a flying cell phone camera can. It’s relatively affordable at around $1800 for the “fly more kit”.
Mavic 3 Pro
I have not had a chance to try this $3000 drone but have friends who use it and this is what they rave about and what I have read.
Video is much better with all of the pro features that were on the Mavic 2 and more. It shoots 5k and has two lenses. Basically, it’s a combo of the Phantom that was huge and the Mavic.
Still, images are what really matter to me and from what I have seen the camera nails them. They have more pixels, more dynamic range and better colors.
In conclusion, had I not already bought the Air 2s, the Mavic 3 drone is the one to have. It sure would be nice to feel excited to look at drone photos again.
Photo/Video Technique
How to tell if your lens is bad
For years I shot with a 16-35 lens that was not great. I didn’t know it but not only was this thing lacking from the factory, a rough life on my camera made it in need of repair and adjustment. When I look back at photos from this time, many of them look like the lens was smeared with mayonnaise.
So how can you notice and test to see if your lens is bad? Here are the ways I know.
Shoot test images of a landscape at infinite focus. If you have a zoom lens, shoot at a range of lengths from wide to narrow. Make sure you have a high shutter speed and a low iso. I also shoot at a wide open aperture, middle of the lens range, and as closed down as possible.
Now bring these into your ending software and make them full screen. No lens is perfect, but if you notice lacking sharpness after changing aperture, then it might be time to send your lens in for service.
Some loss of sharpness at wider focal lengths (16mm) will be noticeable on the edges of an image. Your lens will be sharpest at the middle aperture (f8 or similar) wide open and closed down will be less sharp around the edges.
An image with consistent sharpness is a good sign. If half the lens is not sharp, your lens needs service.
Don’t have your photos ruined by a faulty lens.
Who I am Following
Greta Rybus
Greta has quickly become one of my favorite photographers with her documentary work in Maine and elsewhere. She has a great eye and tells stories with her series that draw me to look at each photo. She also curates the best Tik toks every week, so I get the enjoyment of Tik tok without another app to steal my attention.
See her website Here
Follow her Here
Music I'm Diggin'
IJ’s 2022 playlist is here. It’s a good vibes-curated list I have been working on for the last 6 months. It works just as well starting from the top as it does shuffled.
Listen to it Here
Videos, Movies, and TV
Loneliest house Ryan Trahan
This video reminds me that any level of adventure is still an adventure and that epic is not what makes an experience worth sharing but the feelings and excitement it brings to the person having the adventure.
PS Ryan is one of the best new YouTube personalities and what makes YouTube so great.
Reads
Born To Run
I’ve just finished this story 10 minutes ago and I can confidently say this book is in my top ten or maybe even the top five.
It’s not a book about techniques of running and for a guy who is not really a runner, I was entertained from beginning to end.
This is the true and wild story of one man’s journey to learn to run the way the best Ultra Runners in the world, the Tarahumara tribe, do. It concludes with an epic race through a remote canyon in Mexico and has all the ingredients of a blockbuster film in a book disguised as a running story.
10/10 would recommend.
Find the book Here
Parting Thought:
To be thought of as a photographer in the minds of others, you need to be taking photos and sharing them. To be thought of as a Filmmaker, you need to be making Films and sharing them.
The quality of the work might not be great when you start, but you won’t get opportunities to do the work unless you can show you have done the work before.
There is so much value to be unlocked when you do your craft first.
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
This newsletter, my photography and my videos are all free, but not cheap. If you want to help me continue to make things you can buy me virtual coffee.
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