#18 from Out on Buford Highway

Contigo Peru at 3567 Chamblee Dunwoody Road is a little off Buford Highway, but it was good enough that I thought I should include it here. It's a Peruvian seafood restaurant. The day I was there it was virtually empty when my friend and I arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon. We both had the pescado sudado, a fish stew common in northern Peru. It came as a decent sized piece of white fish swimming in a broth of tomato, onions, peppers, garlic, and a melange of herbs and spices. It was truly delicious! It came with a side of rice that I slowly added to the stew to soak up the broth. The price is reasonable at around $15.

By the way, make sure you look at all the pictures, because my favorite is the last one.

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 200, 1/1000 @ f/8

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 800, 1/125 @ f/5.6

Lis Ramires, Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/60 @ f/4.5

Hector Esquivel, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/4

Maria Ordonet, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/180 @ f/3.2

Maria Ordonet, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/3.2

New Line of Manfrotto Bags- Part 2

The new line of Manfrotto Professional bags I wrote about a while back includes five Shoulder Bags in sizes from the 10 to the 50. Like the Professional Backpacks, the Shoulder bags are well designed, well built and have a number of interesting, even unique, features.

The biggest difference between these bags and the older "Domke" style shoulder bags I used in the distant past is that the shell is made from the same semi-rigid material I described in my review of the backpacks. It gives structure to the bags and offers a high degree of protection. Many of the details are what we've come to expect on any high quality bag. A well padded shoulder strap and lots of pockets are there.

It has a couple of features that are unusual, if not unique. One is the way the internal sections are structured. They have a sort of hinge built in that allows a multitude of usable options, like having a camera at the ready with the lens pointing downward and stacking lenses with a padded section between them for protection.

The top lid has a weather sealed zippered slit, which let you get in and out quickly and easily if you find yourself changing lenses often. It's a nice touch and works faster than opening the lid to get things out.

The bags all have slots for laptops and/or tablets depending on the size of the bag. I tested the 10, 30 and 50. I particularly like the 10 since I'm using the Fuji X-E1 more and more. The 30 is a nice size, too, for when I'm using my Nikon or Pentax. The 50 is a behemoth! I can't imagine actually using it and trying to work off my shoulder. It's so big, that when it's loaded it's very heavy. I think it's probably more of a gear bag that has a shoulder strap to facilitate taking it short distances- not all day!

My only complaint about these bags- and it's a small one- is that there aren't any velcro tabs to make entry quicker that the zippers for situations when speed is important. Other than that, these are excellent additions to the marketplace. Well designed, well built, and very usable bags.

Two Interesting Projects

My son sent me a link to a project on the CNN Photos blog today. "The Waiting Game" is a documentary piece about prostitutes in Spain who work along highways. The photographer, Txema Salvans worked primarily on the Mediterranean coast photographing women waiting for johns to stop and pay them for sex. The pictures are simultaneously provocative and banal. There is nothing particularly sexual about what is shown, but there is still an air of anticipation as we see these women, sometimes wearing fairly revealing clothing, attempting to entice passing motorists to make a (presumably) short detour as they travel. The pictures are landscapes with the prostitutes appearing relatively small in the frame. Everything is sun drenched, parched, and a little faded looking, running counter to other images of hookers we may have seen at night in "red light" districts. Their postures make many of the women looked bored and tired, even though we can never really see their faces. It's excellent work.

It made me think about another project about sex in public places called "Cruising" by Chad States. States' work is more explicit and shows men cruising for and sometimes having sex with each other in public parks and highway rest stops. Like Alvans, the pictures are always shot on sunny days and superficially appear to be landscapes. Only when we look closely do we see men, sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs, engaged in having or waiting for sex. Because of the heavy vegetation, the pictures aren't explicit. They suggest the activities rather than describe them. They are, however, more active than Slavans and, as a result, are kind of creepy, at least to me. They, too, are excellent work.

New Line of Manfrotto Bags- Part 1

For the last few months I've had the opportunity to use and test a number of the new bags in the Manfrotto Professional Collection. I've been a very happy user of Kata bags for many years now and I was a bit skeptical about finding anything that made me want to switch. After using these new bags for a while, I can honestly say that, although they may not make me get rid of all my Kata bags, they are a worthy addition to my inventory.

Finding the right bag is a pretty personal choice. You need to find a balance between what is the perfect size for what you need to carry, what has the features you need, and what feels the best on your back or shoulder. I'm happy to report that these new bags come through on all these accounts.

First the backpacks.

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

These packs look a little different than a lot of similar packs- they have a more geometric outline. This is because the outer skin is reinforced with a semi-rigid material. It's not a hard bag like a Pelican, but it offers a ton of protection against the impact of any hard or sharp object.

In most ways, they're what one expects from a quality bag. They have well padded shoulder straps and backs and multiple padded inserts that attach with Velcro.

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

These packs are comfortable and have plenty of zippered compartments, inside and out. On a non-shooting trip recently, I pulled all the inserts out and found it to be an efficient briefcase/backpack. It held my 15 inch Macbook Pro in the slot in back easily.

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

Where these packs really excel for me is in a few details. First, they have quick release straps that serve as a back-up to the zippers. For those of us who routinely over stuff our packs this is a well considered and necessary feature to ensure the bag stays closed in case of a blown zipper.

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

Secondly, it has the tripod pocket built in. This may seem minor, but if you're like me, you don't carry a tripod all the time and when you do you have to find the pocket (sometimes a pain) and then put it on the pack to use it. Having it integral to the pack is a very nice touch. By the way, notice the little plastic feet on the bottom. These make the bag sit upright and not fall over.

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

The last detail I want to tell you about is so small you might miss it. Waist straps have to be long enough to accommodate a wide range of body types. Some people (me for instance) almost never use them at all except when carrying a large, heavy load. When you're not using them or if you're relatively slender, these straps are long and hang down, way down. Manfrotto has had the good judgement to include little Velcro straps that allow you to roll them up and keep them out of the way. I really like this.

Manfrotto Professional Backpack 20

These new packs come in three sizes- the 20, the 30, and the 50. I'll probably use the 20 most often since I've lately been shooting a lot with the Fuji X system. These cameras are smaller and lighter than my Nikons and the body, several lenses, and various accessories is held easily with the bag. The largest one, the 50 is big enough for me to use when I'm doing "Studio in a Backpack" shoots. The 50 is a bit smaller than the Kata backpacks I used to use for these shoots, but between smaller cameras and the smaller and lighter Elinchrom Quadra Hybrid strobes, the 50 is just fine. Its large, padded waist belt is very sturdy and helps enormously when I have to carry this heavy load.

My final verdict? If the size of one of these three backpacks is right for you, I really don't think there's any downside. They're well-built, have great features, and are priced right- not cheap, but competively. Now, they don't have twenty different sizes like some other brands, but if the size works for you, you should definitely take a look.

#16 from Out on Buford Highway

Back in November, I posted about Pollo Norteno. I hadn't eaten there yet, but now I have. I'm happy to report that it's very good. I got a whole grilled chicken and beans and rice take out. I don't think the flavors of the chicken are earth-shatteringly original, but it was delicious, moist, and a lot of food for the money. For about $20, there was enough for Andrea and me to eat two dinners and a lunch- excellent value. The refried beans and rice were also very good. I recommend it.

One more addition- I ate lunch here recently and it was an incredible bargain. For $5.99 I got a drink, chips and salsa, two pieces of chicken, and refried beans and rice. That's a meal deal!

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 400, 1/60 @ f/5.0

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 200, 1/20 @ f/4

Back to Buford Highway (#15)

It's been exactly one month since I last posted, but I think most will forgive me if I plead "The Holidays". It's been a blur with all three of my kids and two of their significant others in Atlanta to spend Christmas with Andrea and me. Eating, drinking, and great good cheer were the order of the day(s).

But, I'm back with more pictures from Out on Buford Highway. I'm going to start with additional pictures from two of the restaurants I've already posted about and then add more new ones. Please check back here often or sign up to follow it via e-mail to stay current.

First, is a return to Ming's BBQ. They call themselves a "Peking Duck house". They serve a range of food, but duck is their specialty and it deserves to be. If you go for dinner, remember that they don't have a liquor license.

Wole Doherty, Nikon D600, 20-35mm, ISO 1600, 1/125 @ f/5.6

Juan Qin, Nikon D600, 20-35mm, ISO 1600, 1/125 @ f/4

Number 13 from Out on Buford Highway

Cho Sun OK Korean Restaurant is at 5865 Buford Highway. I ate there with a group early on a Saturday afternoon last February. I'm not terribly familiar with Korean food, so I just sat back and tried a little of everything. The myriad of kimchi was a revelation to me. I've never been fond of things pickled, but the flavors, textures, and spiciness of what was served was astonishing. The dumplings and fish egg soup were most excellent. And the staff was warm and helpful. I'm told the restaurant has changed hands since I was there, so I hope the quality has been maintained.

Dumplings surrounded by kimchi, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/60 @ f/2.8

Fish egg soup, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/50 @ f/2.8

Barbeque, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 3200, 1/60 @ f/2.8

Owner Hu Bok Chong, Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/40 @ f/2.8

Waitress Jeong So (Miss Park), Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/50 @ f/2.8

Waitress Kyung Sook Han, Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/2.8

Number 11 from Out on Buford Highway

Taqueria El Ray Del Taco, 5288 Buford Highway, is a fun Mexican joint. The outside is covered with colorful designs and the inside is a garish explosion of greens and blues. It will definitely wake you up if you need it. The staff is friendly and most speak English pretty well if you need a menu item explained. The house Margarita is good, but the real stand outs to me are their shrimp enchiladas. It's a big portion (not that I really care about that) and the green sauce is truly outstanding. It's quite spicy hot, but it's a slow burn that I wasn't aware of until the third or fourth bite. There was plenty of time to enjoy the great flavors before the heat set in. Very nice!

Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 100, 1/640 @ f/5.6

Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 100, 1/60 @ f/8

Fuji X-E1, 18mm f/2 lens, ISO 800, 1/105 @ f/2.8

Fuji X-E1, 18mm f/2 lens, ISO 800, 1/40 @ f/2.8

Week 9 from Out on Buford Highway

El Potro Mexican Restaurant at 3396 Buford Highway is another example of wonderful architecture. It's suggestive of something you might see in Mexico with bright colors and a stucco-like surface. But then there's the looming specter of a huge billboard towering overhead. And the LED lights at night complete the effect.

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm f/2.8-4, ISO 200, 1/180 @ f/8

Nikon D600, 20-35mm f/2.8, ISO 200, 1/6 @f/5.6

Week 8 from Out on Buford Highway

Taco Market, 3304 Buford Highway, is a combination convenience store and Mexican specialty market owned by Koreans. I don't know why Koreans own a Mexican food store, but judging by the number of people there who appeared to be Hispanic, I guess they're doing something right. I just loved the simplicity of the color and geometry.

Nikon D600 20-35mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 100, 1/320 @ f/5.6

Nikon D600 20-35mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 200 1/15 @ f/5.6

Week 7 from Out on Buford Highway

I'm not an expert, but people I trust tell me that the Havana Restaurant is one of, if not THE best Cuban place in the Atlanta area. It's in the Crossroads Village Shopping Center at the corner of Buford Highway and Clairmont. I DO know that I loved their fried plantains. And that the staff is extremely friendly and welcoming.

Nikon D600 w/20-35mm f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/320 @ f/6.3

Dora Corena, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/125 @ f/2.8

Miriam, Rosa, & Miguel Amaya, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/40 @ f/2.8

Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/60 @ f/2.8

Metz Shoe Mount Flash

The back-up strobe in my backpack was the Metz 58 AF-2 for Canon. I really like this flash. Metz makes them compatible with both systems that I use- Nikon and Canon. (They also make versions for Pentax, Sony, and Olympus) I'll admit, I'm not a power user of small flashes- I don't so complex system set-ups, or high speed sync, or commander/slave uses, but the Metz does do all that stuff. I use these things as an off camera and manual lighting source most of the time. In the backpack system, this means using it as a light somewhere in the background (there's one on low power in the shot above) and knowing that if the batteries on my Elinchroms died, I could still light a portrait. I've also used them as a direct handheld flash. They've performed perfectly in all these situations. And the best part? They cost about $100 less than the comparable Canon 580 or Nikon SB strobes. Nice.

I added the Metz P76 battery to power the 58, too. This is similar to the Quantum batteries a lot of people use. It's high capacity and high voltage, so you don't have to rely on AA's. I actually hate using this kind of flash with AA's. The recycle time is too long and they wear out way too quickly. You plug the 58 into the P76 and you can shoot hundreds of pictures and have the flash recycle much much faster than it does with AA's. And by using the Metz battery, you don't have to worry about compatibility and warranty issues that sometimes arise with Quantums.

In a week or two, I'll be posting a full review of the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra that is the centerpiece of my "Studio in a Backpack".

The Lastolite Tri Flip Kit Reflector

When you open my Kata backpack, the first thing you see is a large flat compartment with a 33" Lastolite TriGrip Reflector in it. This is a fairly indispensable item to own. It's relatively small, light, and can be used in a bunch of different ways.  The primary way I use it is as a fill for my portraits. When I light, I almost never use a second light to fill shadows. The fact is I love shadows- they give faces shape and character. But I want to control just how dark they are. In some situations they need to be inky dark, in others barely there, and, most of the time, somewhere in between. Using a reflector to bounce a little light into those shadows gives me the control I need.

Generally, I use the TriGrip with the Trigrip bracket . Although this bracket includes an arm so you can attach a shoe mount strobe, I took this off. The arm made it a little bulky to carry in my backpack and I figured if I needed to use the Tri Grip as a diffuser, I had other options. I generally put one end of the bracket on a light stand and on the other I attached the reflector with a Super Clamp . The bracket has a double ball joint which makes it infinitely adjustable, so I can place the reflector in any position I need.

The TriGrip has some features I really like. Unlike other collapsible reflectors, it has a  built in handle with a velcro strap. If I'm working with an assistant, this makes it really easy for them to hold wherever I need it. The kit also comes with two reversible covers with different surfaces. These include black, silver, gold, half silver, half gold, and others. They slip over the translucent white stock surface and essentially give you 8 tools in one. The black can be especially useful if you want to put an outdoor subject in the shade and then light them with a strobe. Or the silver can be used to bounce a little sparkle into your subjects face on a cloudy day or when you have to shoot under florescent lights in an office situation. And using the translucent white as a diffuser on a sunny day to soften that hard (and often hideous) light can allow you to make an attractive portrait in less than opportune conditions.

Phil Toledano

I've been looking at the work of Phil Toledano for the past few days. He's that rare combination of commercial and fine art photographer that I see too few of. I have great respect for anyone who can live with the day to day rigors of assignment photography and still find the time and energy to produce work destined for books and galleries.

His project work has a remarkable breadth. Days With my Father is deeply personal. Bankrupt and The United States of Entertainment are quite political. And Phonesex and A New Kind of Beauty are really social commentary. There are others, as well.

His assignment work is slick and funny and creative. And extremely well crafted.

Well worth a look.