Here in Vermont, it can get pretty cold. It’s not so unusual for our winters but while a lot of people like to stay inside and drink hot cocoa, David Brueckner lives for days when the temperature drops to negative digits. Because that’s perfect weather for getting creative!

Throw Boiling Water in the Air? Why Not?

David wanted to take the idea a step farther. So he thought, hey, let’s do it at sunset. Because that will be beautiful. And let’s do it on Lake Champlain, because it can give you a pretty amazing background. Oh, let’s add some lights. Because it’s going to be dark. And one more thing, let’s add some color to it, just for fun!

To do this properly, David needed several things:

• A flash on a lightstand he could put behind his subject;
• A subject willing to chance getting wet (multiple times) in the freezing cold;
• Several buckets of very hot water;
• A camera to capture the image;
• PocketWizards to trigger it all;
• And Mother Nature to cooperate and give him a clear, cold day with amazing light.

David likes the PlusX radios because they are so simple. Just plug them in, match the Channels, and you’re good to go, then it’s up to Lady Luck and a skilled water throwing subject!

The trouble with a shoot like this is that you don’t get a lot of retakes. David shoots either near sunset or sunrise, so his time window is already super short and at those temperatures, you can’t stand around waiting. You have to be ready to move fast.

How Exactly Do You Make This Work?

David picks a spot on the lake with a great background and makes sure the ice is solid. Because it’s Vermont, the temperatures can vary dramatically and you typically can’t plan a shoot like this very far in advance, usually only a few days or maybe a week, tops. For the water to vaporize, the air temperature has to be at least -10 F (that’s -23 in Celsius!) and the water has to be boiling. Temperatures that cold impact EVERYTHING. David and his model only have a few minutes outside, then they need to bring everything back to the car to warm up. To get about 20 shots, it takes about an hour.

He sets up his lights, making sure the stand is hidden behind the subject and turns everything on. At this point, he has the model grab the cup of water then get into place. Then it’s time to shoot!

They have to work quickly, there’s only enough time for about 5-6 attempts before everyone needs to get back into the car to warm up. Once everyone (and everything) is warm enough, they pop out and shoot again for a few minutes. It takes about an hour to do a full session.

David’s Best Tips and Tricks:

• Biggest tip: Throw the water off to the side, not directly over head!  Lindsay tossed the water with the hand that was further from the camera and kept it off the the side as she threw it in an arch.
• Second biggest tip:  Light the water from behind the subject.
• Make sure the air temperature is at least -10 if not colder
• Use handwarmers taped to your flashes to help keep the batteries warm. Also, have extra batteries ready and warm in your car. (and keep the car running!)
• The water has to be boiling. Keep it in a thermos and just use a cup/mug at a time.
• Wear gloves (fingerless gloves are perfect for this!).
• Use a wide angle and leave plenty of room overhead to catch the water as it vaporizes.
• Be patient with the shutter release. Wait till the water is spread out so the vapor fills the frame.
• Watch your lighting. As the sun comes up or goes down, you’ll need to adjust the camera settings and maybe switch into (or out of) HyperSync.
• You can get a larger arch and bigger effect by using a larger pan or cup of water but you’ll got through your water supply faster.

David’s looking forward to the next cold snap to shoot more images this year. Check out his Facebook page for updates!

IMPORTANT!

If you decide to try this type of photo shoot:
Be sure to check the ice and make sure it is thick enough to support people and equipment – usually at least 4 inches thick. If you are driving a vehicle out onto the ice, it needs to be at least 8-12″ thick.

Using boiling water can be VERY dangerous, especially for children. It can cause 2nd and 3rd degree burns. If boiling water lands on clothing, the material can retain the heat,  extended contact with skin and prolonged contact with heat. This can result in deeper burns.

Please be careful AND safe if you decide to try this. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

The post Hot Water + Sub Zero Temperatures = Pretty Cool Images appeared first on PocketWizard.

ControlTL

ControlTL (Control the Light) taps into the camera’s digital communications to enable remote TTL communications: changes in ISO, aperture and shutter speed are seamlessly passed along for reliable and flawless flash output.

Basic Trigger Mode

Use basic trigger mode and the radio can be used on virtually any camera that has a hot shoe.

Manual Power Control

Use the camera’s exposure compensation controls for basic manual control of remote flashes or add an AC3 ZoneController for even more control and flexibility.

Zone Control

Add an AC3 ZoneController to adjust power to 3 different Zones of light independently, in manual or TTL, from your camera’s position.

Radios can act as either a transmitter or a receiver

PocketWizard ControlTL radios are auto-sensing transceivers meaning they can act as either a transmitter or a receiver. They intelligently know when to transmit and when to receive.

Long Range Performance

Our legendary range is up to 800 feet (240 meters) for TTL triggering, and up to 1200 feet (365 meters) for basic triggering. Unlike our competition that relies on the crowded 2.4GHz frequency, our radios use 344 MHz in the US and 433 MHz in Europe giving range and reliability that is the favorite of the most demanding photographers. Link here for tips on how to extend your range.

Automated HyperSync

Our patented HyperSync technology allows photographers to achieve faster X-sync speeds (sometimes up to 1/8000 of a second) with full power flash on any type of flash, including speedlights, mono-lights and power-pack systems. With HyperSync, you can cut the ambient light and use wide-open apertures, even in bright sunlight. 

Optimized High Speed Sync (HSS)

With Optimized High Speed Sync, you can trigger a Speedlight flash all the way up to 1/8000. ControlTL optimizes this amazing feature and provides more light (which equals greater working distance), faster recycling times and more flashes per battery set. Use this feature to shoot wide open in bright sun for amazing results.

Compatible with all PocketWizards

The ControlTL radios are compatible with any PocketWizard radio for triggering manual flash or remote cameras. Even with your 20 year old radios.

20 ControlTL Channels

With 20 different channels available, you can program the two different configuration settings to custom settings for more flexibility on the fly.

32 Standard Channels

The 32 Standard Channels integrate with our Standard Channel radios and make it easy to find an open channel for manual triggering.

Remote Camera Trigger

Get creative using remote cameras for unique perspectives. Use multiple remote cameras to capture all the angles at your next event. (You will need one radio to use as a transmitter – attached to your main camera or to hold in your hand to manually trigger – and one radio with the correct remote camera cable for each remote camera.)

Check out the FlexTT6 and Flex TT5 Video Overview

The post ControlTL Overview appeared first on PocketWizard.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 reasons you need a PocketWizard Plus IV. The PocketWizard line of radios are well known for their quality construction and their reliability. We offer many choices of radios depending on your needs for a radio trigger. Whether you shoot portraits, weddings, sports, or just for fun, PocketWizard gives you a competitive edge and opens the door to many creative opportunities.

Top 10 Features and Benefits of the PocketWizard Plus IV

1. Put your flashes wherever you want: Use a radio on your camera and one for each remote light to easily trigger off-camera flashes for the most pleasing light. Use speedlights or strobes – or both!
2. Trigger a remote camera: Get creative using remote cameras for unique perspectives. You will need one radio to use as a transmitter (on your main camera or in your hand to manually trigger) and one radio with the correct remote camera cable for each remote camera. Add another PocketWizard and flash and you can trigger a remote camera in sync with that flash using relay mode.
3. Reliability: By using our reliable 344 MHz frequency in the US (433 MHz in Europe), you can avoid the noisy and crowded 2.4 GHz spectrum.
4. Top hot shoe with on-camera TTL: This makes it the ideal trigger for photographing events such as weddings because you can have a fill flash on your camera and still have the ability to trigger an off-camera flash. For your remote flashes, the built-in top shoe of the Plus IV makes a great stand for your speedlight – no sync cable required.
5. Trigger multiple lights from many different brands: If you have a third-party TTL light that has its own trigger, you can mount the transmitter in the Plus IV hot shoe.
6. Dual purpose: The low profile Plus IV radios are transceivers that be used either a transmitter or receiver.
7. 32 Channels: 16 Standard plus 16 Quad-Zone Triggering Channels are available to ensure no overlap with other photographers. Learn more about channels here.
8. Quad-Zone Triggering: activate or deactivate your lights in 4 separate Zones (A, B, C, or D) directly from your camera’s position.
9. Simple user interface: All Channels, Zones, and Modes can be easily engaged via a keypad located just above your viewfinder of your camera.
10. Use with any PocketWizard: all PocketWizard radios are cross-compatible so that you can use a Plus IV in conjunction with any other PocketWizard radio of the same frequency. (Learn more about our frequency here.)

PocketWizard Plus IV Video

Check out this video showcasing the features of the PocketWizard Plus IV.

#WhyPocketWizard

Share your reasons why you like the Plus IV and use the hashtag #WhyPocketWizard. We can’t wait to see your photos!

The post PocketWizard Plus IV appeared first on PocketWizard.