Three-fingered Assistants

With more and more photographers working alone these days, and lighting as a key aspect of professional photography, it becomes clear that you need to have your lighting systems down.

To give you a little background on myself, I am the owner and photographer for John Rathwell Photography. I shoot action sports for commercial and editorial use. Lighting is key and is what sets me apart from a lot of action sports shooters. I often have to hike into areas and work in non-ideal weather. Keeping my gear to a minimum in size and weight is key for me. It must also be rugged and stand up to a lot of abuse as well as be quick and easy to work with.

I decided I would give GorillaPods a try, and in a way you wouldn’t think. Light stands have always been one of the most frustrating things to me. They are bulky, heavy and always fall over in windy conditions. Plus hiking in with sand bags just isn’t fun.

I use a GorillaPod SLR-Zoom with a Lastolite Triflash bracket and 1/4-20 adapter. These work great for holding my secondary lights or anytime you need one direct flash. Quick and secure setup and they go low on the ground or high in a tree branch in seconds.

When I need more power, I turn to my GorillaPod Focus. I have had up to 5 lights on it in heavy wind and it held fine! I have also used it with a softbox and umbrella and no issues at all. I never had to worry about it blowing over like a light stand!

I have started considering the GorillaPod SLR-Zoom and Focus my new 3-fingered assistants. They are flexible  small, lightweight and strong. If you shoot anything outside and are into lighting they are worth a try!

I’ve also been using the UltraFit Sling Strap. I have used sling straps for years. Any sling strap is better then the traditional neck strap, but the Joby strap is the best one I have ever used. The issue with most sling straps is that when the camera is hanging at the right level at your hip and your bring it to your eye, especially when shooting a vertical shot, the strap is never long enough. So you lengthen it. Then it hangs way to low when you put it down. The Joby designers must have known this and were truly innovative in the design. The strap automatically looses when lifted and can tighten back up instead of just hanging at your hip. Perfect for shooting in tricky locations.

This shot uses 2 main light sources. The main light sits camera right and is mounted to a tree using a Focus. There are 3 flashes attached to a tri-bracket and a softbox on it. On camera left there is a bare flash held up by an SLR-Zoom on the ground.

This shot used almost the same setup as the mountain bike shot but both GorillaPodsPods are attached to a chain link fence and both are high above the subject.

Check out more of John’s awesome work on his website or see a video of him in action here. 

Thanks John for sharing your awesome lighting tips! Need to squeeze a flash into a tight spot or tired of carrying heavy sandbags and light stands all over the great outdoors, check out our GorillaPod SLR-Zoom or GorillaPod Focus! 

First, can you tell us a little bit about how you got into photography?

Most of the time, I go into photography during my travels. I’m lucky enough to go out several times a year… Photography is part of the travel itself as taking the good pic needs you to sharpen your eyes. Then you discover so many details you would have never seen without your camera. I’ve also met so beautiful people I wanted to shoot! I couldn’t travel without my camera!

What projects you currently working on? Can you tell us about the project these photos are from?

This year, I going on the extremities… I just came back for Zimbabwe and am heading to Spitzberg Island… 60°c gap!

I was in Africa to support a local NGO. It was the dry season and animals needed to be counted at the waterholes. Many of them were dying of thirst and it was urgent to have a good “picture” of the situation. I was on the “fire line” and could be very close to the animals! Great views!

How has the GorillaPod changed the way you shoot?

The GorillaPod is light and discreet. You can bring it with you all the time even in a small bag! It can solve many of the problems that get in your way of shooting anywhere and everywhere, like low light and need for stability stability with zoom lenses.

What is your best tip for using the GorillaPod?

Without the Gorillapod, you will be limited to “common altitudes”. With it, you can let your imagination express itself! Find the craziest viewpoint of the scene you want to shoot, prepare your camera and only then use the GorrilaPod! Twist it’s 3 legs in many different ways so to find the best stability you can. Mount your camera on the GorillaPod, point, and shoot!

Can you share a story of a time that your GorillaPod really came in handy from your past trip?

In Zimbabwe, sometimes shooting conditions were really extreme! My zoom lens was heavy and I needed stability to get a clear pics! As you could see on one of the pictures, I was able to block my camera on the bull bar thanks to my gorillaPod ! It helped me to shoot a beautiful group of elephants that were showering the babies at the waterhole.

What is your best advice for aspiring photographers?

Even if you need it, photography is no question of technique… Photography is question of imagination and sensibility!

Go out and shoot with your feelings, you get great shots!

Thanks Ander for sharing your amazing photographs and your trip! See more of Ander’s work from all over the world on his website.

Need help finding a gift? Check out our Father’s Day Gift Guide below! 

Does your dad like photography? Try our GorillaPod SLR-Zoom. A super lightweight and super flexible tripod he can take anywhere to capture unique photos wherever his adventures take him.

Is Dad a pro photographer or videographer? Check out our GorillaPod Focus. A professional grade tripod with a ton more flexibility than most, it’s perfect for a dad who’s looking to get creative with his photography.

Maybe Dad is the type to hike a mountain, ride a bike or run through city streets—all to get the perfect shot. He’ll love our UltraFit Sling Strap! Designed to allow you to cinch your camera tight against your body but still have for quick and easy camera access, it is perfect for the adventurous and active photographer.

Or perhaps Dad really enjoys DIY projects around the house or tinkering with his classic car? GorillaTorch Flare has six light settings, magnetic feet and is water resistant, making it the best way to light just about any task handsfree!

Is Dad the outdoorsy type who loves to spend his time camping in the great outdoors? Then GorillaTorch Switchback is for him! A 2-in-1 lantern that can convert into a headlamp, he can use it grilling, setting up a tent, or even on a night hike up Half Dome.

Use code DADROCKS at checkout to receive 20% off these great gifts for the dads in your life!

So, our designers and engineers got to work.

We aim for simple but adaptable designs that put a lot of functionality in the hands of our users.

So, let’s start with a universal camera baseplate that’s made of hard-anodized machined-aluminum with a unibody design. That makes it tough, sleek, and small.

We’ll include two ¼-20” female mounting holes for your accessories like camera straps or flash brackets. We’ll include a slot for your hand and wrist strap.

Let’s give it an extra long mounting slot so you can position the base plate where it makes the most sense to you. Now, you have a total camera platform!

Let’s make it an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod plate so you can just slide your camera into the most common mounting system for tripods. But if you’re using something like a Manfrotto® RC2 ballhead, you can attach the UltraPlate to the ¼-20” screw of an RC2 quick-release plate.

We don’t like tools that get in our way so let’s make it small at 2.8” x 1.7” x 0.5” (7.2 x 4.3 x 1.25 cm) and weighing only 1.65 oz (47g) so that it fits nicely underneath your DSLR camera or compact system camera.

And finally, let’s make it $19.95 so it’s a no-brainer for everybody to have one for their camera.

Check out our video below on the UltraPlate and buy one for your camera today!

Jordana Wright
Chicago, Illinois | @jordanawright on Instagram
What is your favorite thing about the GripTight?  

The GripTight is super helpful, wonderfully compact, and totally versatile. I can really punch up my mobile photography by positioning my phone literally anywhere. Google hangouts and video chats are so much easier to do on-the-go, now that they can be TOTALLY hands free. When I’m shooting with my DSLR, the GripTight lets me pull up a shot list or other important information that I can easily display without fumbling with my phone.

What is your best tip for getting great photos from a smartphone? 

My best tip is that it’s not always about the app! The angle, lighting, and subject matter can make or break a cellphone photo—just like every other type of photography. Play around because you never know what sorts of AWESOME you may capture. One of my favorite tricks is putting a piece of colored gel in front of my phone’s camera for a moody, colorized photo.

What are your favorite apps?  

My favorite apps are Instagram and Pudding Camera. Sometimes I shoot in one camera app, then open the photo and process it with another. In airplane mode, you can process photos through Instagram as many times as you want to get a unique look.

Have you found any alternative uses for your GripTight?

I’ve used the GripTight to keep my phone safe and in sight on my desk and on the kitchen counter. It makes my cell phone into a lovely bedside alarm clock, and it even came in handy for my husband who works in theatre. He borrowed it to more easily film actors auditioning for a show. In a pinch, you can even use your cellphone (when the screen is dark) to touch up your hair or make-up. The GripTight lets you angle it however you may need!

Can you tell us about a time the GripTight really saved the day? 

I was driving using Google Maps on my phone, and the phone kept falling over in the car. At a red light, I realized I could use the GripTight Micro Stand to keep the phone exactly where I needed it on the dashboard for easier navigation. Fewer fumbles + knowing where I’m going = the happiest photographer.

Eric Wood
Hoosick, NY | @snaplove on Instagram

What is your best advice for using the GripTight? 

The GripTight is awesome for holding my Galaxy SIII nice and still while I fire off a couple shots. One of the most valuable tips for succeeding with the GripTight has to do with your phone. Set your phone’s camera to fire using a timer. That way you can trigger the timer and wait for the shutter to fire without actually touching the phone. The result: super sharp photos!

Can you share a time when the GripTight came in handy recently? 

Last weekend, I was walking around a New England church and there was the first red leaf of fall on the ground. I didn’t have my DSLR with me but I had my phone and GripTight. I set it up on the ground and got a great shot of the leaf.

What is your best advice for new photographers? 

My best tip is to just shoot. I think lots of people have a belief that you need a big, bulky DSLR to take amazing photos. Any photographer will tell you the best camera you could have is the camera you have with you! In lots of cases that is going to be your phone. Don’t hesitate to use it.

What are your favorite apps for shooting? For editing?

If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop, Instagram is awesome. It’s quality, fun and social. If you prefer to break it up a little, grab Adobe Photoshop Express and use the sharing platform within. I love it! The new mobile Flickr app has some potential too.

Have you found any fun or unique uses for the GripTight? 

When I am on the road, I usually wrap my GorillaPod around my rearview mirror and put my phone in the GripTight so I can see the navigation in my view. Works awesome!

Enter your best phone photo for a chance to win awesome prizes from JOBY and Olloclip! We’ve got a star panel of judges to help us choose the best photos. See details and enter your photo today!

Jay and Varina Patel
Twinsburg, Ohio 

What is the best part about using the GripTight? 

We’ve been really happy with the tiny combination of the Grip Tight Mount with the Micro. They fold up small enough to stick in a pocket or attach to a keychain, so I don’t have to carry around bulky gear. When I want to get some video of my kids when we go swimming in the river or hang out at the park, I can set up my phone quickly and grab a fun video of the kids having fun.

When have you found the GripTight particularly useful? 

As landscape photographers, we often produce short, on-location educational videos with our mobile phones. The GripTight Mount and GripTight GorillaPod Stand provide a perfect lightweight solution that we can use to produce smooth videos with our mobile phones. We secure the GorillaPod stand on a tripod or stand it up on a rock, and we are good to go!

The Making of an Instructional Tutorial with Photographer Varina Patel from JOBY Inc on Vimeo.

Can you share a time when the GripTight really saved the shoot?

We planned to do a quick series of videos in a beautiful park several miles from our home, but we forgot our Grip Tight Mount. All our attempts to stabilize the mobile phone using our tripods or hands were unsuccessful. We shot a video anyway—but it’s completely unusable. The camera shake is pretty annoying! The following week, we took our cameras to the soccer fields to shoot another video. This time, we used a tripod topped with the GripTight GorillaPod Stand and the finished video is smooth and steady.

What are your favorite apps? 

We use SmugMug’s Camera Awesome app. Camera Awesome allows for independent control of focus point and exposure. It’s great for macro shots and producing on-location videos. We edit our movies with iMovie, which allows us to put clips together quickly, add audio and music, and create a decent finished product. We love Snapseed for processing photos. This app has “U-Point” technology that allows us to make selective adjustment to our photographs.

Halley Roberts
Portland, Oregon | @halleyroberts 

What is your best tip for using the GripTight? 
The first time I used the GripTight was when I set up a shot of me preparing and eating breakfast and I attached it to a spider plant I have hanging over my kitchen table. It worked great! With the lifestyle-type photography that I shoot, attaching the GripTight to objects above me is perfect. Attach the GripTight to something directly above you, use the self-timer and voila, you’ve got a beautiful top-down shot.

What do you like best about phone photography? 

I use my iPhone mostly for snaps of my life, but I also use it to test out compositions that I think will look good when I shoot with medium format film. It’s great when I’m outside, which I am a lot, exploring and hiking. I’ve also found that I use it often for self-portraits when I don’t have a model or someone else to place in the photo.

What are your favorite apps for shooting? For editing? 

Finding the right editing apps is crucial. My number one photo editing app is VSCO. I also use Camera+ for doing self-timed shots and Squaready to bypass Instagram’s square format. Also, try to be selective about what you’re shooting. I often see people simply stabbing at their iPhone screens taking hundreds of snaps. The more discerning you are, the better your photos will be and you’ll save memory!

Have you found any non-photography uses for your GripTight? 

I also like to use the GripTight GorillaPod stand to prop my iPhone up while I’m working on my computer or listening to a podcast. That way I can look down and easily check my phone.

How did you begin as a photographer?

I wasn’t interested in photography before I got an iPhone 3GS in 2010. Because there are so many apps for editing photos, I began to enjoy photography. In the beginning it was hard because I knew nothing about photography. I found some basics online, but the best way to really improve is just to shoot. I take photos everyday, everywhere and of everything. I also recommend looking at other photographers’ work. I have friends on Instagram who inspire me everyday.

What do you like best about the GripTight?

From the first time I used the GripTight Micro, I fell in love with this amazing gadget. If I’m walking through the city and find an amazing spot, I just take my GripTight from my pocket and take a photo. I set it up with my iPhone, set a self-timer, focus on the spot where I plan to be when the timer goes off, press the shutter button and run, run, run. GripTight is really perfect for self-portraits (and also for people with shaky hands)!

Before I got the GripTight Micro, I used a GorillaPod SLR-Zoom for my iPhoneography. But it is a little big and I wanted something smaller that I could carry in my pocket the entire day. GripTight Micro is light, small and I can attach it to my keys. It’s a universal holder so I can use it with my iPhone with or without cases or lenses. Plus, it has rubber legs so it can’t slide down from any surface.

Photographer Matej Smucr & his JOBY GripTight from JOBY Inc on Vimeo.

What are your favorite apps for shooting? For editing? 

I like retro and vintage photos so I edit my photos in this style. My favorite app is VSCO Cam, which I use almost for every edit. I like filters 02 and 05 the best. I also use PicFX, which has so many filters that can be combined. Photoforge2 is good for layering. Camera+, EasyTitler and Gorillacam from Joby are also favorites.

Have you discovered any other uses for your GripTight?

When I’m not taking photos, I also use the GripTight Micro to surf the Internet, watch movies or just as holder for my phone.