My idea of a travel camera is a full sized SLR. Until I find a mirrorless/PS option that can give me high speed sync, great ISO performance, Wireless Flash, A shutter speed over 1/4000th of a second, AF speed, and a menu that is easy to use I will continue to carry a full sized SLR.

My birthday was this past week. I went to the shore with my daughter and her lovely momma. The day wasn't as sunny as it was supposed to be (surprise? Weatherman are the only guys that can make a ton of money failing more often that a MLB hitter) and after digging trenches and making castles with Zoe I looked around and saw some interesting light. There was a storm brewing on one side and the sun popping in and out on the other side. The hotel in the background was catching some highlights that intrigued me. I looked at the scene and knew that if I exposed for the building and it's bright highlights I'd get a dramatic sky including some mini god lights that I was seeing to the left of the building (my left lol) The pylons were being lit a little bit on my side of the scene. Enough to be interesting without becoming the focus of the scene. I knew that if I put cat in with the pylons without any supplemental light she'd be dark in the scene. I wanted to match her exposure to that of the building. That was my goal. I took my flash (yes I carry a flash and wireless devices everywhere - even to the beach on a family outing) and i started trying to get it to sit the way i needed it on top of the pylon. I tried to get Zoe to hold it the way i wanted first but she's not the best assistant. She's 3 so maybe I'm being tough on her but she can take a great picture so I figured she could hold the flash for me. No such luck. I eventually turned the flash sideways and had it on top of the pylon to Cat's left (my right) and aimed it at her. Turning it sideways is important in this scene (and I do it a lot if I don't have a modifier that works for the shot) as it will cover the model in a standing position more than if it was it it's normal configuration. I zoomed the head to 50mm to keep the light more focused on the model. I took three shots standing in the spray of the water moving up around my ankles and this was the second one. No post on the color - just a bit of sharpening and a touch of the good old clarity slider to add some pop.