Giving back is always a good thing! (Support Images for a Cure)

I am drawn to social causes. I've even given up wondering why. Throw me a cause and I'm right there supporting it if I can. That's how it works in my head - and, ofcourse, eventually in my life.

This year, I heard Breast Health Awareness calling - and I answered the call. Through Images for a Cure, I've been given the chance to enjoy one of my passions while giving back to society as a whole and to the country which has been my second home for the last 7 years.

What is Images for a Cure?

Images for a Cure was started in August of 2009 as a small idea by Orlando based wedding and fashion photographer, Kristen Weaver. A small brainchild turned in to an international event of large proportion, joining 239 photographers across 3 countries to raise money for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Thanks to the contribution of these photographers, all donating 100% of their session fees for one day, along with the support of 21 industry sponsors, Images for a Cure raised $12,900 at the conclusion of their 2009 event.

In 2010, Images for a Cure raised $15,343 for The BCRF. For 2011, $7,200 has been raised so far. IFAC's goal this year is to reach $18.000 for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

IFAC is a brilliant idea! It ignites passions and causes and makes the heart all nice and warm and fuzzy! It encourages the arts and it unifies people. It pushes photographers to see beyond just physical light. It makes us see the light within.

THE IFAC Package

Cost: USD $75 to Images for a Cure

What it includes:

30 minute Portrait Session


DVD of 5 high-res Images
Prints (4 images)

It gladdened my heart to have Yayasan Kanker Indonesia (Indonesian Cancer Foundation) graciously accept the invitation to be part of the event. The Indonesian Cancer Foundation (ICF) is a social and humanitarian non-profit organization with a specific interest in health issues, especially cancer. They conduct various cancer control programs, prioritizing on the 10 most common types of cancer in Indonesia, in which Breast Cancer is numbered in the top 3.

The IFAC Package - Indonesia

Costs: 

USD $75 to Images for a Cure + IDR 500.000 to Yayasan Kanker Indonesia

What it includes:

Storybook of 15 Images


DVD of 10 high-res Images


Prints (4 images)

Accessories for Portrait Session


Stylist Consultation
Hair & Make-up on-site touch-up

It was also very exciting that Central Park Mall, Dressing Room, and Jakarta Expat decided to join the cause! The venue for the session is at Tribeca, Central Park and Dressing Room is graciously lending some of their accessories for the event.

Many thanks to the people who answered for themselves and their companies: Zico of Central Park, Ping of Dressing Room, Angela of Jakarta Expat and Jai (our stylist!).

It would be really nice if you could join the cause and answer to your light within. Email me at info@chiesipinphotography.com if you'd like to book a session and I'll send you all the details.

Helpful Links:

Yayasan Kanker Indonesia

Indonesian Cancer Foundation

Central Park Mall

Dressing Room

Jakarta Expat

The Z-Flash Experience (Mostly for non-strobists like me.)

I'm quite excited to have found the Z-Flash. I love what it gives the photographer: continuous predictable light. I don't know why I haven't thought of this before - even after reading Jose Villa's beautiful book where he mentions his use of continuous light. Continuous light is really delish - I can see what I'm going to capture even before I press the shutter button.

What's more, this model offers both continuous light and sync light - or flash. Doesn't it sound real good? I thought it did. So I went and got one for me.

It did not disappoint. I love it. Unlike the Nissin di866 which I invested in and rarely used, the Z-Flash actually has me excited.

I tried its baby brother, the Z96 (which only offered continuous light) in covering the student council elections last week. So I knew what its continuous light feature was going to give me. I knew of its yummy consistency and temperature. I knew of its light and how it lightened-up the shades just as much as you wanted it - not more or less.

Now I was going to try for this new flash feature. Will it work well? As good as the di866 perhaps?

Let me show you.

I've done comparisons on how continuous light affects my images in 25%, 50% and 100% capacity. I used the dimmer as my gauge. Then, I synced it up with my Canon 5D MkII and used it in flash mode.

Here's how the comparison went with the naked LED. I think the highlights are overblown. I also think the flash isn't so powerful - not like the di866 - but not so bad.

If you're wondering how to sync it, there's really nothing to it: you just plug in one end of the provided cable to your Z-Flash and the other to your camera. It won't take in any settings. It'll do its own thing with no help from you.

Here's how the white diffuser affects it.

I think the flash behaved a little better here but I'm not satisfied. I think that's saying a lot because I'm not even much of a strobist here.

Please note that all factors are the same throughout. Same aperture, shutter speed, lens, location. Images are only minutes apart from each other so window light quality is as consistent as possible.

Variables include the amount of light from Z-Flash and the gel over it.

Here's how its warming gel affects the light.

You can even see how warm the light is on the background!

You can also stack the gel filters on top of each other. Here's white diffuser + warming gel.

I like this the most. Especially how flash worked well with it. The image looks brighter but not harshly so - and its not grossly overblown.

The Z-Flash itself is worth its price and more. It costs about US$ 100 where I'm at. It's not the Z-Flash which I think is ill-priced - it's the battery that you need to purchase for it. Unlike its younger brother which takes AA batteries (Helloooooo Eneloop!) or a Sony Video Cam battery, this one only takes the Sony VideoCam battery - which it is not packaged with. So you buy the Z-Flash + Sony Re-chargeable Battery.

But wait! You need to re-charge it, right? Then… you guessed it!… you need to purchase your charger on top of it all. So you buy the Z-Flash + Sony Re-chargeable Battery + Sony Battery Re-charger. Why not bundle it up? Or, better yet, why not design a battery for the Z-Flash? Or at least choose batteries that the flash sync cable is compatible with? (Only Canon or Nikon. If you're a Sony user, you need to get a cable adaptor.) As much as I'm in love with my nifty little toy, this part of its design just bugs the hell out of me. It feels illogical and ironic. (Maybe it was meant to be a political statement? Maybe not. Maybe they just seriously overlooked it.)

Ok. So you're sitting there and trying to make up your mind. Do I get one or not? Here's a simple answer:

You want continuous light, you don't need flash… go and get its younger brother the Z96. Don't worry about cash. This little toy is worth more than its price - and it's not very expensive at all!

You want continuous light, you have to have flash - or at least want to have the option of using flash - you have about US$ 200 for a budget. Get the Z-Flash. Worth it. I promise.

You're a strobist. What are you doing here? Get yourself your Nissin or Canon or Nikon. This isn't strong enough for the likes of you! ;)

The box I got it in says its only available in Indonesia where I'm based. If you want one, here's where I got mine. I love their service. They do COD. But… maybe only within Jakarta. ;) I'm a MitraKamera fan. :)

The Z96 and others like it (ONLY continuous light, no flash option) is available in quite a few places - in different numbers of LED lights, too. Here's a shop which sells it in the Philippines.

I'm not getting anything for this - not from Z-Flash, not from any of the stores - I just like my new toy. I also know there's not much online about it - so here's my contribution to the information pool. I hope it helps.

All That Glitters

Rich hands.  In experience and in jewels.
Love the fact that this happens to be a self-portrait, too.

Cows and Beans: Not just a Jack and the Beanstalk Story

Are you allergic to cow's milk?  Lactose intolerant.  I am.  Allergic to milk and chocolate.

 

Not even the kind where just a little bit will hurt me. Nooooooooo. The kind where I can have just so much and when I go a teeny weeny bit beyond, I start re-acting. That's what they call it. The allergic reaction. I remember very late nights when my mom would prop me up high on pillows to help me breathe and lessen the reaction. I would cough until hoarse, until there was no coughing but a whole lot of hurt, and then I would cough some more. They weren't happy nights. These aren't happy childhood memories.

I worried about my son when he was born. Would he be lactose intolerant, too? Luckily, he wasn't. He didn't inherit the milk bit. He took that bit from his dad (only about 2% of Swedish people are lactose intolerant, as opposed to almost 90% of SouthEast Asians).

Click the image below to be directed to the site where you can find the image and the article.

So I thought the inclusion of my son's one-month old image in an article on milk choices for newborns was quite fitting. For a while there, we were on the same boat. Which milk to give? Cow's milk? Soy milk? Or, heaven forbid, the elusive banana milk? Thank goodness he was alright first time around. Now all we have to worry about is his chocolate intake!

Thanks newbornbaby.com.au for choosing my image for your article.

October brings about Breast Health Awareness Month!  Time to book portraits for annual photos with friends, daughters and sisters!

Images for a Cure supports The Breast Cancer Research by encouraging photographers to donate their earnings from their special photo sessions to the research society, through IFAC's FirstGiving page. The photo sessions coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). I have volunteered a special portrait photo weekend for this cause. I am inviting mothers, wives, daughters, BFFs, sisters to avail of the special charity portrait sessions.

If you're interested to contribute to this cause and have a fabulous portrait session at the same time, drop me a note so we can have a chat about it.

Coriena

Coriena's quiet personality is complemented by sudden bursts of spontaneous happiness.

I'm very happy to have known her when she was still uber quiet.

Yup, you guessed it. Secondary School is doing its magic and the quiet girl is turning into quite a lady!

October brings about Breast Health Awareness Month!  Time to book portraits for annual photos with friends, daughters and sisters!


Images for a Cure supports The Breast Cancer Research by encouraging photographers to donate their earnings from their special photo sessions to the research society, through IFAC's FirstGiving page. The photo sessions coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). I have volunteered a special portrait photo weekend for this cause. I am inviting mothers, wives, daughters, BFFs, sisters to avail of the special charity portrait sessions.


If you're interested to contribute to this cause and have a fabulous portrait session at the same time, drop me a note so we can have a chat about it.