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!

Test d'éclairage (nouvelle recette)

Apres avoir recu notre récente commande de quelques têtes de flash supplémentaires, nous avons demandé a notre amie Evelyne de bien vouloir ce preter a une scéance, afin de faire l'essaie d'une nouvelle recette d'éclairage.

Les images retenu et demandé par notre modèle, peuvent etre vue... ICI

Shoot Portraits Corpo... Valerie Chiasson

24 Decembre 2015  |  St-Lin, Que.

En cette fin d'année, nous avons eux la chance d'accueillir notre coureuse automobile préféré, Valerie Chiasson, afin de rafraichier ces images Corpo.

Un p'tit topo des images faites, peuvent etre visionné ICI

Cirque du Soleil... Toruk!

Monday December 21st 2015  |  Bell Centre (Montreal, PQ)

The World Premiere of Cirque du Soleil's "Toruk", a visual adventure based on the movie Avatar, was presented at Montreal's Bell Centre.

The visual aspect of this presentation is nothing short of mind-boggling, and leaves you wondering how they achieved some of these technical feats.

A few images from this Premiere, can be seen HERE

La Premiere de Marie-Mai...

Théatre St-Denis  |  Jeudi le 17 Decembre 2015

C'est au Théatre St-Denis que Marie-Mai lancait sa grande premiere, de 20 dates de concerts, en 24 jours. Voici quelques images de cette soirée tant attendu.

Quelques images ICI

The importance of cleaning your computer...

How to Clean Your PC, Inside/Out

Not only will cleaning your PC help you get rid of the gunk and other crusty unknowns that lurk within devices such as your keyboard and mouse, but you'll also be able to rid your system of the dust, hair, and assorted debris that make it look as if you had been storing it in your attic the past three years. Aesthetics aside, you'll be doing a great service for the components that help your PC stay cool: Fans can keep spinning happily if they aren't coated with dust and grime, heat sinks can cool better if gunk isn't impeding their tightly packed fins, and CPUs will benefit from a fresh, even coat of thermal paste instead of, well, whatever that stuff is that's currently caked on your chip.

Cleaning the Keyboard and Mouse

Taking a can of compressed air to a keyboard.

You have two ways to go about cleaning a keyboard: the easy way and the fun-but-potentially-disastrous way. The former requires a can of compressed air and some cleaning fluid--anything from Pledge wipes to Lysol, your pick.

Gently pop the keys off the keyboard, and you can expose the crud underneath.

Turn off the computer. Start by gently brushing the cleaning solution over the keys; I recommend that you spray a paper towel or a wipe instead of drenching the keyboard in cleaning fluid (I'll talk about that later). If you think it's already pretty crud-free, you can get away with spraying compressed air in between the keys. To do a more thorough job, however, you'll want to use a capped pen, a mechanical pencil, or a closed pair of scissors to pop the keys up and off the keyboard. Once you've done that, commence deeper cleaning of the underlying surface. You might want to do this cleaning in batches of keys, just in case you forget which keys go where.

The "fun" method involves sticking your keyboard in the dishwasher and letting nature take its course. A few caveats: Gaming keyboards and wireless keyboards carry with them a greater degree of risk than standard keyboards do. To put it another way, you should steer clear of this method if your keyboard has a tiny display attached. Cover any open USB ports with plastic and tape, and, if you're cleaning a wireless keyboard, remove the battery prior to the washing. Set the dishwasher on a normal temperature with no heated drying--just air--and make sure that the keys are facing down.

Wiping off the mouse with a damp cloth.

Once the keyboard is done bathing, you must let it dry completely before attempting to use it. Put it upside-down on the dish rack for a few days, stick it in sunlight for a few days, blast the insides with compressed air. You'll find no perfect solution to getting every last bit of water out of the keyboard--you'll just have to be patient, lest you paperweight your device.

Swabbing the mouse sensor.

You can use the same techniques on your mouse that you used to clean your keyboard--that is, a gentle brushing with a cleaning wipe or a moist towel. Depending on the variety of mouse, you should be able to pop the primary clicking buttons off in a manner similar to a keyboard's keys, giving you access to the dirty bits underneath. You can also use the same cleaning cloth to wipe the gunk that typically sticks to the pads on the mouse's underside.

If you're still rocking a legacy mouse with a ball, remove the cover on the bottom of the mouse and give the sphere (as well as the area in which the mouse ball sits) a good wipe. And for the 99 percent of you who have moved on to optical mice, a cotton swab gently inserted into the area of the LED should be sufficient to remove any debris that has collected.

Deep-Cleaning the PC

Here we go--the biggie. As tempted as you might be to just blast compressed air all over the inside of the case, resist the urge at first. If you're going the compressed-air route, you'll want to move the system to an area that you don't mind getting a little messy (as in, not your carpeted office floor). You'll also want to blast spurts of air from the inside of the case on out. No sense spraying dust back into your system, eh?

Compressed air can clean out PC fans--just make sure not to blow dust back into the PC.

To clean the case fans, you can use the compressed-air can and give 'em a good blasting, or you can use rubbing alcohol gently applied to a cotton swab, paper towel, or toothbrush (I'm not kidding, a toothbrush works great for scrubbing dust and gunk from the fan blades themselves). You might need to physically unscrew the fan from the case, which is pretty easy. Just be sure to make note of the diagram on the fan that indicates which way air is being pushed or pulled into the case; once you've cleaned the fan, reinstall it so that it's moving air in the same direction.

Wiping down the heat sink.

Of course, that's just the first step. Next up is the CPU, which you can treat in one of two ways: using compressed air to blast dust away from the heat sink and fan combination installed in your PC, or removing the heat sink entirely and using 99 percent isopropyl alcohol to scrub off the gunk. We recommend the latter method, as it will also give you a great chance to clean and reapply thermal paste to the CPU itself.

Each heat sink tends to have its own specific way of detaching. In general, you'll probably have to twist and pull up four knobs attaching the device to the motherboard, or, depending on your CPU/heat-sink variant, you might need to unlock one or two larger retaining clips or levers. Once you've freed the heat sink, use the aforementioned rubbing alcohol to wipe away the thermal paste on the underside of the component. You can also use the liquid to clean dust off the heat sink as is--but whether you're wiping the heat sink or dunking it in a bath of rubbing alcohol, be sure that the heat sink is entirely dry before you try to use it once more.

Reapplying thermal paste.

Use the same rubbing alcohol to wipe the thermal paste off the CPU itself. You'll want to reapply new thermal paste according to the specific preferences indicated by your CPU manufacturer. But you don't have to search very far for that information: Thermal-paste manufacturer Arctic Silver has a handy guide for both AMD- and Intel-based setups.

Now you're probably asking yourself why I haven't covered cleaning other parts of a PC--such as the hard drives, the graphics card, or the motherboard itself. The same tactics you used to clean the fans and the heat sink will also work for cleaning everything else. If you're just looking to give your desktop system a once-over, then I recommend that you use a combination of a vacuum hose and a compressed-air canister: Blow the dust out of the graphics card's fan and cooler, the motherboard, or the hard drives, and position the vacuum hose near the plume of ejected material so that it troubles your PC no more.

Giving the motherboard an alcohol bath.

And if you're truly hard-core, you can go for the nuclear bomb of cleaning: Remove all the parts from the motherboard (including the CPU, the RAM, all add-on cards, and the CMOS battery), remove the motherboard from the system, and then dunk it in a bath of 99 percent isopropyl alcohol.

No, I'm not crazy.

The alcohol doesn't conduct electricity, and, more important, its speedy evaporation will assist you as you work toward eliminating each and every drop of liquid from the board's nooks and crannies before you reinstall it in the desktop. This method isn't for newbies, but it will definitely make the motherboard look as if it were brand-new. I don't recommend that you try to clean hard drives in a similar fashion, however--not all PC parts can survive such a plunge.

Now that you've physically "cleaned" your PC, it's time to go one step further, and get rid of some unwanted files and clean the Registry.  Many software tool are available for this process, but over the years, we seem to have taken a preference for CCleaner by Piriform.  It's easy of use, and the fact that it didn't install a whole bunch of unwanted tools/files was very appealing to us.  Make sure you make a back-up of the old registry, just in case.  Once you've gone through the steps of deleting old unused files, and cleaning the registry, chances are, you'll be using a much faster and reliable machine!

You can download the free software HERE

Artists Supporting Artists...

Whether it be from the same or different field of expertise, I feel it's important that artists not only show appreciation, but also support the work of other artists. A little while back, we were introduced to the works of Lizzy Falcon, paintings & Sculptures. Although we've never been huge fans of sculptures, her paintings "talked" to us, and we found ourselves going back to her website to see what she had created next, on a monthly basis.  

That being said, yesterday we gave in to our urges, and we are now the proud owners of two (2) wonderful pieces... "The Transformation" and "Sugar High" from her Big Eye collection. They will be a great addition to our walls.

The subject, the technique, and raw talent. Everything about Lizzy's work is captivating. I can only suggest you spoil yourself, before her value sky-rockets (and it will). We hope you all get in on the craze, before you need to take a mortgage out on your homes to afford one yourself.

That being said, Lizzy markets her work well, and also offers either, free shipping or percentage discount coupon codes to people who are return clients, or purchase more than one item.

You can visit her website HERE

I❤NY Tourism Board promotional video - Ride the Adirondacks

A few months ago, we were asked to collaborate on a video for the I❤NY tourism board, promoting the Adirondacks as a riding destination, for Canadian Bikers. Seeing we had been riding there for decades, we couldn't pass up on this privilege to share our passion, and the reasons why the area is one of our favorite "local" rides. It was our first contribution in front of the camera, and we had a blast throughout those 3 days of shooting!
Link to the video... HERE

We hope you like it, and make the Adirondacks one of your riding destinations for 2016. A huge shout out to the amazing team of creators that made this experience happen.
Kari Hoffman, Eric Adsit, Rick Godin, Anne Rast, Paul Frederick
Download printable maps of select rides in the Adirondacks... HERE

Nitro Circus...

October 16th 2015  |  Montreal's Bell Centre

Nitro Circus, is nothing short of a gathering of talented rush-seeking individuals, that seems to have escaped the asylum, and that have given themselves a personal mandate to have you sitting on the edge of your seat, thinking... "this can't be done!".

Yet, Travis Pastrana and his crew prove you wrong, and pull off the most amazing stunts you could ever see.  Many of which only a few individuals in the world have had the balls to try, or ever accomplish. A show that must be seen.

You won't believe your eyes, unless you see it Live!

A few images from this awesome performance, can be seen HERE

Queensryche....

September 19th 2015  |  Bell Center

Queensryche as a show opener for Scorpions, at Montreal's Bell Center.

The Setlist and a few images... HERE

Scorpions...

Saturday Sept 19th 2015  |  Bell Center (Montreal)

The Scorpions graced the planks of the Montreal Bell Center, to more than 14,000 fans. 

The Setlist and a few images HERE

The Tea Party...

September 17th 2015  |  Corona Theater

It was in front of a sell-out crowd, that The Tea Party performed their first of 2 dates at the Corona Theater.  An impressive setlist that seemed to satisfy the true connoisseurs, and those that were there to get a live glimpse of the new album... The edges of Twilight.

The setlist and a few images... HERE

The Dark side of Photography...

When Getting the 'Best' Shot is Just Plain Wrong!

The complete article.... HERE

Robert / Marc Theoret - Hydroplane Racing

As a child growing up in Valleyfield, it was no surprise that we were huge Regatta fans.  From building plywood pull-string boats behind our bicycles, to remote-controlled units as a teenager, the Valleyfield Regattas was deep into our blood.  But nothing compared to our local hero, Robert Theoret, who won no less than 5 world championships, and then passed the legacy, on to his son Marc.

Great memories from those "Good ol' days", were recently brought back to life, through a video that was made by TSN. It was also during those younger years, that we found passion in photography, at the ripe young age of 11-12 years old, capturing moments in the pits alongside these prestigious machines that, at the time, seemed larger than life.

In 2013, Robert & Marc did an exhibition run, and "raced" their respective boats on the St-Francois Bay, and we were fortunate enough to capture the moment, were Marc had mobilized his boat to salute his father, as he passed in his vintage Regatta.  Robert later contacted us to get a few printed copies of this photo, which later happened to be in the video.

To repeat Robert's own words... "Everything is 2nd to that moment, the highlight of a lifetime, not just a career", and we were glad to be able to capture & immortalize it for him.

Father/Son Hydroplane Racing Video... HERE (highlight the HD button)

Still today, it is an event that we wouldn't dare miss. We hope to see you all there in 2016. :)

Le Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal...

Dimanche le 13 Septembre 2015  |  Ville de Montreal

Le circuit du Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, placé judicieusement sur le Mont-Royal, est une valeur sûre pour garantir une compétition de très haut calibre.

Un parcours redoutable, une ascension répétitive extrêmement exigeante au rythme très difficile, voilà ce que réserve à l’élite mondiale du cyclisme, le circuit du Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. Un parcours en plein coeur du centre-ville qui assurera fébrilité aux plus grands champions cyclistes et à tous les amateurs d’ici et d’ailleurs.

C'est 168 coureurs de 21 équipes différentes qui ont affronté les 17 tours du circuit urbain de la Ville de Montreal.

Quelques images de cette journée... ICI

Le Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec...

Vendredi le 11 Septembre 2015  |  Ville de Quebec

Le circuit du Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec conviendra particulièrement aux grimpeurs et aux habitués des pentes raides. Il sera parcouru 16 fois avec une arrivée en côte dans le Vieux-Québec des plus spectaculaires! On peut s’attendre à une course extrêmement difficile pour les meilleurs coureurs de la planète.

Les téléspectateurs autant que les spectateurs auront droit à des points de vue qui dévoileront la riche histoire d'une des plus vieilles villes d'Amérique du Nord, ses reliefs accidentés, ses édifices historiques, ses fortifications et les Plaines d'Abraham. 

Homologué par les experts de l’Union Cycliste Internationale venus sur place à l’automne 2009, le circuit a été qualifié « d’exigeant » d’un point de vue sportif et d’exceptionnel, pour la mise en valeur de la beauté de la ville de Québec.

C'est 168 coureurs de 21 équipes différentes qui ont affronté les 16 tours du circuit urbain de la Ville de Quebec.

Quelques images... ICI

Madonna - Rebel Heart Tour...

September 9th 2015  |  Bell Centre

Montreal was the first date of the Rebel Heart Tour, and fans filled the Bell Centre to witness the World Premier.  From what we saw of the first 3 songs, it was indeed a visual delight.

The Setlist & a few select images can be seen HERE

Session photo Portrait - Melanie...

Avec un peu de préparation, voici ce que 90min en studio peu ceder comme résultats...

Je vous présente Melanie...

Quelques images de ce shoot des plus éfficasse.... ICI

Lancement de disque... RAFFY!

Theatre Plaza (Montreal)  |  8 Septembre 2015

C'est au théatre plaza, devant une salle comble, que l'équipe de RAFFY a décidé de présenter leurs nouvelle album, intitulé... Liberer l'Animal.  

Un extrait visuel de la soirée.... ICI

Vous pouvez vous procurer l'album au points de ventes suivants...
HMV
Archambault
Walmart, etc....
ou, enligne, sur iTunes via ce LIEN

Festival YUL EAT...

Quai de l'Horloge - Vieux Port de Montreal  |  5-7 Septembre 2015

Quelques images de cette 1iere année du Festival YUL EAT... ICI