Canon 1Dx MK II Specs leaked online...

The full specifications and images of the upcoming Canon EOS-1D X Mark II full frame DSLR camera have leaked online. 

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II flagship full frame DSLR camera is expected to be announced on February 2, 2016 and it will feature a new 20.2-Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with improved dynamic range. And it can record 4k videos at 60fps. See the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II full specs and images below:

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Full Specs:

• 20.2MP CMOS sensor with dynamic range improvement
• Dual pixel CMOS AF
• 61-point AF system, expanded range, 41-point cross-type, all of the distance measuring points can be selected
• At f/8, 61 points can be selected
• Improved AI AF accuracy and motion tracking Servo AF III +
• Dual DIGIC6 + processor
• New mirror drive system that enables high-speed continuous shooting
• Video 4K 60fps, possible internal recording at CFast2.0T media
• Continuous shooting up to 16 fps (live view mode)
• Dual pixel CMOS AF, enables smooth AF with 4K video
• GPS built-in
• USB 3.0 terminal, HDMI terminal
• Dust and water resistant
• Wi-Fi option (WFT-E8)
• Dimensions: 158mm x 167.6mm x 82.6mm
• Weight: 1340g

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Images:

"Keep Calm & Book your Own Shoot" Campaign...

Over the years, we realize that Facebook has become a good means to visually promote our ongoing work. However, we felt it lacked in providing a broad picture of every service we offered.

As such, we've decided to create a small campaign, via a variety of Facebook Cover images, using the "Keep Calm" theme.

We'll change Covers from time to time, to help trigger your interest in keeping us in mind for your future projects.  Mind you, although we don't limit ourselves to the categories shown here, but they are a good guideline to what we do most.

Higher resolution of ALL 13 of these covers, can be seen.... HERE

We look forward to hearing from you, with all your project needs.

Tips on being a better model...

I recently saw this post on a friends Facebook Page, and just had to share it...

8 Tips
 For Models, 

to Make Sure
Photographers
 Love Them

Being a model is a high pressure job. You’re constantly being judged based on your looks, your body, your performance, your personality, and just about any other personal trait imaginable. It can be overwhelming. Here’s 8 very easy tips that will automatically make the photographers you shoot with love
working with you.  By Dana Pennington

1- Don’t wear tight clothes to your shoot: If the clothing you are shooting reveals any amount of skin, you should NOT wear tight clothes to your shoot. Leave your skinniest of skinny jeans at home. They will leave impressions in your skin along the seams and waistband. That’s just one more thing we have to retouch. Showing up in yoga pants is perfectly acceptable. I promise.

2- Do your research: I realize many of you are only finding out about test shoots shortly before the shoot is to happen, but try to do at least a little research on the person you are shooting with. Ask your booker who the photographer is. Look at some of their work. Even if it’s just on your phone. Read the bio on their website. Taking some initiative and looking into the photographers you are shooting with is beneficial on multiple levels. First and foremost, it helps you be a safe, aware model. If you are uncomfortable with provocative images and you’re being sent to test with a photographer that likes to push boundaries, it’s a recipe for disaster. It also shows a bit of respect to the photographers who are shooting you. Their time is just as valuable as yours. They saw something in your book that they liked, you should at least take the time to check out their work as well.

3- Have a little imagination: Some photographers want a completely blank canvas that they can mold into whatever their vision is. However, having some imagination in front of the camera will almost always be a total hit. You’ll know almost immediately which side of this coin the photographer lies on. If he or she meticulously poses your every shot, just go with it. Some people prefer to work that way. But if they are a little more open minded, try different things. Move. The model 101 poses get boring really fast. Bring some of your own creativity to the table. Experiment. Again, MOVE!

4- Don’t post RAWs: If a photographer sends you some preview images, don’t post them without permission. Sometimes as a photographer I like to send the model a few raw previous if I’m excited about the shoot. But they are just between you and I. This shows the images in an unfinished state that they are probably not intended to be seen by the public. It can also jeopardize any possible publication of the images.

5- Learn where your light is: Good models understand where their light is coming from. If you’re shooting in a studio, pay attention to where the photographer puts their lights. If you’re shooting outside, take not of where the sun is. USE THIS INFORMATION! Avoid turning completely away from your light. Avoid putting things in between the light and your face. It will cast a shadow on you. If you don’t know where your main light is coming from, ask! It shows initiative and helps you better understand your range of movement and how free you can be with your poses.

6- Be punctual: Try your best to show up on time. Or at least be close to it. We get it. You just came from a casting in Soho and now you have to get to an obscure studio in Brooklyn and the train isn’t running on time. Just do your best to be punctual. If you have to get from West Hollywood to downtown Los Angeles, don’t leave your apartment 15 minutes before your call time. That’s just common sense. If you are going to be late, send a quick text or call to the photographer saying “Sorry! I’m running a little late. I’ll be there as soon as possible.” For some reason this common courtesy seems lost on our industry sometimes.

7- Tag your team: If you’re posting your images on social media, it’s common courtesy to tag the people who contributed to making the image happen. Tag the photographer, stylist, makeup artist, and anybody else who contributed. I’m not saying you need to tag the photographer’s 4th assistant and the stylist’s dog walker. But the main creative team all worked hard. Share the limelight with you. It goes a long way to make friends and you never know when someone might come in handy to you later on down the road.

Last but certainly not least…..

8- DON’T PUT FILTERS ON OUR PICTURES: We spend years honing our skills by studying and learning Photoshop and other software (or developing and printing film in some cases), taking color theory classes, and developing our skills. When we send you a final edit of an image, that’s how we’ve intended for it to be seen. Don’t cover that up with a stupid filter. It’s annoying and disrespectful. If you REALLY hate the way a photographer has processed an image, respectfully talk to them about it. Just don’t go out and throw X-Pro II on it because you think it looks cool.

SNAPePHOTO to split Powerball winings...

Since the 800 Million USD Powerball Jackpot was not won on Saturday Jan. 9th 2016, the estimated new Jackpot will be approximately 1.58 Billion US Dollars.

What better way to promote our page, than to buy a lottery ticket and share the winnings between the people that have liked our Facebook Fan Page?

SNAPePHOTO Fan Page

Step 1  -  Make sure you've Liked our Facebook Fan Page before
              8:00pm EST - January 13th 2016

Step 2  -  If you believe in miracles, well this is as good as a chance as any! :)

Good luck to all of us!

A few portraits of Valerie Lemelin...

We greeted Valerie in our studios earlier this week, for a quick portrait session. It was her second visit in as many years, and we had forgotten how pleasant it was to work with her.  

A few selected pics from this shoot, can be seen... HERE

World's widest 1:1 wide angle, TS Macro lens...

Venus Optics is offering photographers the first native option to get started in the world of wide-angle macro photography with theLaowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens, available here for full-frame Canon EF-mount cameras. Before now, wide-angle macro required the use of extension tubes and other workarounds, but now the Laowa 15mm Macro offers true 1:1 magnification without the hassle. The ultra-wide perspective on full-frame cameras allows users to get exceptionally close to their subjects with a minimum focus distance of just 4.7", and have them fill the frame, while still capturing the background for more informative scenes. Internal focusing further assists by not disturbing your subject, even when you reach the 0.2" minimum working distance.

Optically, it is designed to minimize distortion that plagues wide-angle lenses with the use of an advanced 12 element in 9 group construction with one extra-low dispersion and three high-refractive elements. A multi-layer low-reflective coating further improved image quality by reducing the appearance of flare and ghosting. Also, when used on APS-C cameras, or in crop modes, the lens offers +/- 6mm of vertical shift which can help correct for perspective when shooting objects such as buildings. 

Full manual operation is required with this lens through the use of a physical aperture ring with a range of f/4 to f/32 and a large focusing ring. A flat front element provides room for a 77mm front filter thread for using a selection of specialized filters to enhance your scene. Additionally, it has a near circular 14-blade diaphragm for smooth out of focus elements and comes with a lens hood.

Ultra-wide 110° angle of view on full-frame cameras.

The wide-angle lens offers a 35mm equivalent focal length of 24mm with an 85° angle of view when used on APS-C cameras bodies or in crop modes.

Wide aperture range of f/4 to f/32.

Lens construction features 12 elements in 9 groups with 3 high-refractive elements and on extra-low dispersion element.

Minimum focus distance of 4.7" with a minimum working distance of just 0.2".

Manual focus and aperture control.

When used with APS-C cameras, the Laowa 15mm Macro can utilize +/-6 mm of vertical shift to help correct perspective.

True 1:1 magnification allows photographers to capture life-sized images of their subjects while still providing infinity focus for use as a standard wide-angle lens.

Near-circular 14-blade aperture diaphragm provides smooth out-of-focus elements.

Accepts 77mm threaded filters.

Rumors regarding a new Canon's new flagship camera body....

Recent rumors have surfaced, in regards to the possibility of Canon coming out with a new flagship camera, in their Sports/Editorial line.  

According latest report the Canon 1DX Mark II pre-production model is being tested by the photographers worldwide.  

A very solid source let us know that the EOS-1D X Mark II will be in our hands no later than April 2016, but that Canon has yet to finalize an announcement date. So there’s no need to worry that this is going to be a Photokina 2016 product.

Take a look at the rumored specs;

• 24MP full frame sensor made by Canon – best dynamic range compared to all FF sensor available
• 14 fps in RAW + JPEG mode
• Advance Autofocus System (compared to the current 61-Point High Density Reticular AF)
• New Technology in Viewfinder
• Light-weight battery
• Large LCD screen OLED Display
• Dual DIGIC 7 image processor

Creating Realistic Compositions...

During the Xmas holidays, we came across and fell in love with the works of Adrian Sommeling. We ordered the online tutorial, and gave ourselves the mandate to complete several of our own creations before the end of the first quarter.

We'll keep you updated as to what we'll have stormed up.  Needless to say, our topics might include a few extreme sports ;)

2015 - A Photographic Year in Review...

As 2015 comes to an end, we take a look back and see, what we, at SNAPePHOTO have accomplished during the last 12 months, and look onward as to what we can aspire towards, in terms of goals for the upcoming year.

As most of you know, 2015 was our first year at being full time, and that was short-lived, as I've personally accepted a role in another field of work, thus multi-tasking the same way I had been, for the last 10+ years.  No rest for the ambitious.  There's 24 hours in a day, and we intend on working as many as we can.

1. Projects

A total of 212 different projects were accomplished in the past year. A tad short on the personal goal of 250 we had set for ourselves. Some took an entire week, others less than an hour, but whether big or small, we welcomed them all!  We added "weddings" to our list of offered services in 2015, and based on the feedback received, we did a bang-up job.  As predicted, we added people to our team, helping us offer our clients the best possible solutions to their needs.

2.  Blog

Second full year of keeping a Blog.  It's long, tedious, but well worth the time spent in exposure.

91 new Posts on the SNAPePHOTO Blog! (slightly down from 110 in 2014).  Which could also be perceived as a good thing, meaning we had more work, and less time to post.  Also, many more high-profile projects to which we could not "spoil" the launch for these clients.

We'll try our best to keep this trend going, and aim for approx. the same amount of posts for 2016.

More than 110,000 Hits in the last 12 months (up from a mere 5,000 hits in 2013).  That tells us that people are liking what they see, and are coming back for more.

3.  Website

We managed to keep the website up to date, with a good quantity and variety of our projects, added new sections, and once again changed the visuals a few times to make it more appealing, etc...

With 82,966 Page Views, 42,366 Visits & 22,573 Unique Visitors to date, we're more than happy!!  

www.SNAPePHOTO.com

4.  Gear

2015 has been a quiet year for us in terms of acquiring new gear.  We took possession of the 50.6MP Canon 5Ds as our main studio body, for modeling, product & culinary shoots.  Traded the F/2.8 16-35mm lens for the sharper F/4 unit, and also the new 100mm Macro lens.  We're ready to expand the list of goodies, as we eagerly await Canon's "official" announcement of a new Flagship "Sports body" in the new year.  We've made good use of our drone and purchased a 2nd Inspire 1.

5.  Clients

And of course, we're keeping the best for last... Our clients!  2015 has brought us a total of 12 new clients, and, some of them in new sectors of activity. For 2016, our goal will be to continue to satisfy our existing clientele, and add on average 1-2 new clients a month.  Hopefully, you will be one of them.

On that note, we want to take this opportunity, to wish you all....

HEALTH, HAPPINESS, LOVE & PROSPERITY for 2016!