Favorite Things

Lume Cube!

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I love these little Lume Cube LED lights! Cordless. Rechargeable. Diffusers. Adjustable with buttons or an app. Fit on the flash shoe of most cameras. My pair did not come with the little ball heads so I added them. I also recently added the triple shoe mount for multiple light sources on one camera. These accessories also fit standard tripod mounts or the very cool and sleek adjustable light stands, which I probably have as well. None of this is cheap. It is built like a tank. Great quality. Even beautiful. Albert has a couple of the Panel GO lights and the shorter light stands that he uses for all the video calls and Zoom-type meetings he has these days. (Someone has to work.) They are an excellent work-from-home option.

I don’t do video but if you do and if you VLOG, check these out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. There are attachment gizmos for the lights to go on your cell phone. Even mounting for drones, if that’s your thing.

The only negative would be the price. They are a bit pricey. They have decent battery life but I would like to see that improved. If you’re not on at full power they last hours. Albert has his Panel GO set on about 10% and it shows a 6 hour time remaining. It’s just gonna depend on how you use them. Often I have my cubes on full power. Max set like that is about 45 minutes.

From the Lume Cube website. The Lume Cube Story…

“Who is Lume Cube?

Light shapes the way we see the world. We believe you deserve gear that guarantees the right light is always at your fingertips. 

Lume Cube is the brainchild of a group of content nerds who are committed to innovation. As creators ourselves, we’ve learned one thing for certain: better light = better content. By focusing on products that give our customers the creative flexibility they need, we’ve built a global network of hundreds of thousands of explorers, creators, and communicators who have discovered the value of a light.

We’re dedicated to providing easy to use, 
easy to carry, and unapologetically good-looking
products that let you:

Take photographs that inspire
Create content to educate, empower, and encourage.
Share moments of everyday life that connect us.
Show up to Zoom meetings looking like a well-lit boss 
Follow your work anywhere it takes you without being weighed down by heavy gear.

Your creativity doesn’t end when the sun goes down. We’re here to make sure you always have the light you need to create brighter experiences.”

Leica Q2-Monochrom!

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No. I didn’t misspell anything. In this context “Monochrom” is correct. This amazing piece of equipment arrived today! If you don’t know why it’s a big deal, that’s OK. Many, maybe most, will never understand why anyone would buy a crazy expensive camera that ONLY shoots black and white. if that’s you, it’s simple. You shouldn’t own one.

Don’t be a joy thief. Let me enjoy mine. I love my Leica Q-P. This new toy is a whole new level of enjoyment. My photography hobby began 50+ years ago. It was all black and white. I learned to do it all, rolling my own film from bulk canisters to developing the prints in the tiny closet-darkroom we had in our home on the edge of the Maasai Mara. So for me it’s a return to my childhood but without all the chemicals and films with lights leaks. Leica Q2 Monochrom.

Homemade "Kalua" Deliciousness

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Well, well! What have we here? Production has begun on numerous bottles of this deliciousness, Christmas gifts for friends. Technically, we can’t call it Kahlua but, it is homemade coffee liqueur. I wonder if you made the “nice” or the “naughty” list? Oh, serving suggestion: drizzle generously over French vanilla ice cream.