Look Out Model Mayhem - Here's PORTBOX!

So you want to be a fashion photographer? Great! Let's see your portfolio. Oh, wait. You don't have one. Crap! Now what? How do you put together a team when you're first starting out and have nothing to go on? Navigating the waters of uncertainty can be a pain in the "you know where".

Finding the resources and tools to organize the seemingly daunting task of putting a shoot together when you're green is overwhelming. Wouldn't it be great if there was database of like-minded creatives that are looking to do the very same thing that you are spending hours researching? That's not just brilliant, it's ingenious. Here's the catch, the go to source is, well, less than brilliant. Model Mayhem is like an ex-girlfriend. We love you and hate you. MM requires a portfolio before you can get started and then the vetting process is like bleu cheese. It's soft and smells like feet - it stinks! Don't get me wrong, I love bleu cheese, but it's mostly old and moldy. You see where I'm going with this. Fortunately, there is now PORTBOX!

Portbox Home Page

Finding talent through MM is tough. There's lot's to look at and choose from, but finding solid, reliable talent is next to impossible. Fear not, models and photographers alike, there may yet be an option that might make you sleep better at night. Unless, of course, you don't sleep at night anyway. In which case, you're either dealing with a base case of insomnia or you're a vampire. But I digress.

The process of finding talent and organizing a shoot can be so complex and convoluted that by the time you actually book the talent a month or so could passed. Calling, texting, emailing back and forth only to find that more and more scheduling issues are popping up as time goes by can be very discouraging for someone just starting out. One company is trying to change that. Portbox might just be a game changer.

What Portbox aims to do is put professional models in front of professional photographers. It's more than just a place to spend hours looking at portfolios. It's an interactive booking site that allows you to privately see the calendars of those on the site. You can offer jobs based on availability. And guess what models? There's no inbox. Photographers actually have to send an offer for a job in order to communicate. No more creepers. No more, "Damn, girl! You sexy!".

Will Portbox last? I have no idea, but what they are putting out there looks fantastic. The website is clean and modern looking. There's an exciting vibe there. One that makes you want to sign up. Here's hoping. I've submitted my request. Will you?

Affinity Photo Is Here!

AFFINITY PHOTO

As they say, all good things must come to an end. Affinity Photo has moved from beta to full release. Yup, it's in the App Store and on sale until July 23rd! Check out the video below to wet your whistle.

 Serif, the company that makes Affinity Photo, has been developing the app for about 5 years, and the beta release had an astounding 230,000 downloads. People seem to really like what Affinity is offering. Serif aims to be a "revolutionary photo editor" that redefines photo editing for Mac and was first unveiled in February. The app is packed with tons of tools and features that most photographers use in Photoshop. Camera lens and exposure corrections, live filter layers, adjustments, high end controls for channels and masks, advanced layer handling, and, one I think is very groovy, a built in frequency separation editing. To get a full list of features check out the Affinity Photo website.

Customizable UI

Lighting FX

Developing

Perspective Change

Liquify!

Compositing - A World Of Possibilities

But is this really the PHOTOSHOP KILLER that the interwebs is buzzing? Only time will tell. I, for one, feel this will be a great alternative for those not interested in Adobe's CC subscription, and already they're getting some huge traction. I'll be doing a walk-thru / overview of Affinity Photo this week. So stay tuned. In the meantime, you can download this very cool app in Apple's App Store.

Cheers!

Photoflex Lives On!

Earlier this year the photo industry took a direct punch to the gut when long-time American lighting company Photoflex announced that it would be closing it's doors after thirty years. Photographers everywhere were saddened, shocked, and to say the least, winded.

Everywhere, Eyes Dampened

As the Fates would play it, this news was short lived. Two weeks later, we then learned that the company would be "resurrected"...Whatever that means. I'm sure there were loyal gear heads that were getting a little moist under the arms just waiting to find out what this all meant.

Now we know. Promark has acquired Photoflex and is adding it to it's vast list of photography brands. If you're not family with Promark off the top of your head, you might recognize Radiopopper, Speedotron, Quantum, and DLC. Just to name a few. So, all you diehard Photoflex users can rest easily at night now. For more information, you can surf on over to the Photoflex website here.

Photo of the Day - Cleaning Up

Alex

My little brother, who stands at nearly six foot seven and isn't really little at all, got a new job and with it needed new headshots for his business cards. We knocked them out pretty quick. I have to say, he never struck me as a suit and tie kind of guy. But, he cleans up right nicely.  Not too shabby little brother. Not too shabby.

Cheers!