Lost Art Press

Cameras, Music and Bottle Openers

Posted on by Lost Art Press

Some days my inbox is stuffed with odd questions about what I do. And when the number of those question eclipses the “What wood should I use for my workbench?” questions, then it is time to write a blog entry.

Recently, there have been a spate of the following questions:

Question: What cameras do you use to take photos and video?

I’ve always been a Canon enthusiast. I prefer the colors that these cameras produce, and I am comfortable with the controls. For blogging, I use a Canon G10 (now the Canon G12) for both videos and still photos. It is a remarkable camera with a metal – yes, metal! – body so it can take a hit. The photos are nice enough that you can publish them in a book (it’s what I recommend that some Lost Art Press authors use).

The best accessory ever for woodworking photography is a tripod. Don’t buy a cheap one. I have a used Manfrotto – you can pick these up on Craigslist and fix them up if need be. Mine needed a lot of tightening and adjusting. A tripod allows you to use available light, small apertures and long shutter speeds. That is the sweet spot for most woodworking photography.

If you won’t buy a full-size tripod, spend $28 and buy this Manfrotto pocket support. It lives on the bottom of my Canon G10 and allows me to stabilize it in the field when I don’t have a pod. This thing is 100 percent pure unicorn magic. I have personally made at least 100 sales by demonstrating this gizmo at woodworking shows.

I have a second Canon camera, a SLR, that I use for shop photography. Until January, I was using a Canon Rebel – very entry level – with good Canon lenses. I shot all my magazine articles and books using this camera, including most of “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.”

In January, I bought a Canon 5D, a big step up that was made possible by you, the reader. Thank you. I also have an L-series Canon zoom on the 5D. Yes, that was a gloat.

I have some basic lights, but those are packed away. I always prefer to work with existing light.

Despite all the text above, I don’t obsess about equipment. In fact, I’m fairly oblivious. I’m much more concerned about composition and spend far more time studying that than reading equipment reviews.

Question: What is the music in your video?

I get this question every single day. I like Americana music, especially with a Southern flavor (duh, I’m from Arkansas). If you want to download some of the tracks I’ve used and search for other like-sounding stuff, I recommend two sites: freeplaymusic.com and freemusicarchive.org.

At freemusicarchive.org, check out the stuff from the Black Twig Pickers. That will sound familiar.

At freeplaymusic.com, check out these two collections of music:

Acoustic Guitar Vol. 4

Country Vol. 4

Question: And finally, I saw your video on rasps and want to buy the belt you are wearing. Where do I get it?

The belt I’m wearing is from Thomas Bates. Yes, that is a bottle opener. It works great. However some people freak out when you open a beer for them and you take it to your bathing suit area to do the deed.

— Christopher Schwarz

16 thoughts on “Cameras, Music and Bottle Openers”

  1. I have always wanted the Canon G10 as my second camera. I still want one, but its popularity has kept the price well above the price of the G10 when it was originally released, or even the current price of the G12.

    Question: You mentioned you have the Canon 5D. Is this the original 5D (a great camera!) or are you referring to the more recent 5D II? Also, which “L” glass did you get for your “5D”?

    Thanks Chris

      1. Holy crap! I know you need to take great pictures in your line of work, but that’s a whole Seaton set of saws! The only camera I have is in my phone, and I’ve only used it twice.

        I’ve never noticed the quality of your photos–which means the quality has always been good.

      3. “I do not deserve such nice glass.”

        Yes, you do! Except for possibly a 100mm macro lens, you should be able handle every situation you encounter with that lens, for the rest of your career. Twenty years from now you will still be using it with pride.

        Richard

      1. Love the belt. I just almost bought one, until I thought about what the parents of the kids at the preschool where I work would think.

  3. Another good alternative for 2nd camera is the S90 or S95. It’s small enough that I just keep it on my belt all the time. Quality is right up there with the G series. It’s also a metal body, with the same controls. Don’t even think about anything other than Canon for a compact (but my SLR is a Sony, mostly because I already had lots of lenses). I’ve tried probably a dozen cameras over the years and I keep coming back to Canon

  4. I knew that I was right to do both photography and woodworking. I shoot with Oly’s, but I do like Canon’s and Nikons too. Olympus knows how to make a really small camera with a lot of to notch features, like the new Pen series. And Manfrotto, of course. I really like the tripods and have set up clients with Manfrotto tripods, dollies (for video) and other gear. Someday, someday, I’d like to try a Leica too. Someday.

    Chris, a request. I’d like to be able to ask questions about old tools, but this being a blog and all, it doesn’t lend itself well to post off-topic questions. I’d like to please ask for a forum for lostartpress in the future.

    Great stuff!

  5. Like Mattias, I have the S95. I bought it this summer when I was looking for a fairly high power compact that offered manual controls. It has the same sensor as it’s contemporary G series cousins, but is smaller. The controls are slightly less convenient, but the click ring around the lens and the spin wheel under the thumb offer quick adjustments to settings. I also love having it in my pocket or bag, vs the old camera that I always left home because it was too bulky.

    It only shoots 10 megapixel, but it can shoot in RAW. I’ve done some aggressive cropping on the better shots I get out of the S95 (JPEG), and they look good even on a big iMac monitor.

    I do agree about good composition and lighting. Just like with tools; you can take cheap tools and do amazing work, or take amazing tools and do underwhelming work. It’s really all about the pilot. Good tools, however, make everything easier.

  6. I’ve always noticed your photos and think they are great especially the ones posted which set a tone for your blog entries. I know nothing about photography other than Mila Kunis makes an exceptional subject. But when I’m stuck in the OR doing what I do for a living I’m usually browsing such pictures and dreaming of getting into my shop to do what I live for. I find those photos inspire the otherwise stagnant creative juices.

  7. Chris have you listened to “Fleet Foxes”? Somewhere between appellation mountain music and blues, pure Americana!

    I made my bench from steamed beech, with a wet lump of 8″ thick spalted beech for the top, against your advice! It’s cracking to bits but works beautifully.

  9. I have the G9 and the original 5D with the same L lens. Great gear. I as well love natural light but honestly think you might want to look into using your lights for magazine work. Your G series with it’s hot shoe is also capable of driving most any lighting setup as well. Now don’t take this as a negative kick in the chops or anything as your photography is actually way above par as far as blogs go. But magazine editors (I think you know something about this) can be real PITA when it comes to images. I know this as I make a little cash with my gear. Not my main profession but been there and done that. Natural light is artsy and products in mags need the best light available. The video your getting out of the g series is great stuff by the way. Thanks for filling us in on the gear…John.

  10. Since you love wood, check out http://riestripod.com/. Seriously the best. Not just because of the wood, but because the way the legs lock form a triangle between the metal head and *each* wood leg. Hard to explain, but easy to understand once you see it.

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