Vbook App

[Ophelia Gurin]

Thoughtthis was worth mentioning - I've seen a few posts on training DVDs and worthshops lately. I have absolutely no affiliation with them - just thought it was worth mentioning!

lightenupandshoot.net/index.php?option=com_content&vi...

They're calling it a vbook (which I assume means video book?) - it's basically a giant PDF (almost 1.5GB) with text, photos and videos embedded. The nice thing is that its under $10 (I paid roughly $200 a piece for the Strobist and Onelight DVDs, and most others seem to go for $75+ a piece.. even eBooks go for more).

They cover quite a bit.. from cheap gear, to how to use flashes and understanding how to set for them, to post-processing. I thought their "Genius Square" was a neat idea and helped me understand the concept of balancing everything (ISO, Aperture, flash power and shutter) and how to handle changes to them.

Definitely not for everyone (most benefit would be to people still trying to "get it") - I'd also suggest watching some of their youtube videos before buying it as their style is definitely not for everyone (people under 25 would get it.. others will probably find it annoying).

They go on a few shoots, show you the results, and get some nice shots using a minimal, portable setup (usually 1 speedlight and an umbrella or a small softbox). The problem with some of the others I've seen is that they bring out the whole studio.. even in onelight he brings out the big strobes and some pricier equipment.

5:51PM, 4 September 2010 PDT(permalink)

I got it, and it has a lot of misinformation. They posted the video of the GENIUS Square, I watched it, emaild them that it was wrong, told them the correct relationships between ambient, ss, iso, aperture, flash power, and flash exposure, and they yanked the video. It's wrong on the video, in the v-book. Every diagram they use for explanation is wrong. They will not answer my emails now. I figured that these guys would understand the relationships.

They start off by saying"You said that SS and ISO control ambient, and iso, Aperture, and FP control flash exposure"

Their 1st equation is:

1/60 iso 400 f/5.6 and 1/4FP = perfect exp

But suppose you need more DOF, but want the same perfect exp. So adjust like this:

1/60 iso 400 f/8, and the FP to 1/2 = same exp with more DOF

That's just 1 example they have many more, in diagrams, and video.

NO, flash exposure is the same, but you just underexposed the ambient by 1 stop?? This is what they're teaching in with multiple examples in their instructional V-Book.

OOPS, doh, I wonder how many they sold??

Originally posted ages ago. (permalink)

Rick Sieminski Photography Inc edited this topic ages ago.

I've tried to watch a couple different videos from those guys. Haven/t made it through an entire video yet, Between the lack of good information and bad jokes, I can't see how anything they produce would be worth my 10 dollars.

IMO anything by Strobist, Zack Arias or Kelby Training is vastly better.

ages ago(permalink)

Mikey is supposed to be a national rep for Westcott?? You'd think that they would know the trivial technical aspect of photography with off camera lighting, uh since Westcott is in the business of off cam lighting and modifiers.

ages ago(permalink)

I had created a basic pdf awhile ago, and recently updated it ... It's free ...

(right click & click "save link as" .. Pdf file)

I'm sort of OCD, as some of you already know :-) .. but would appreciate it if someone was to give it a look-through, and let me know if it is any good, or if there are areas you think I could improve upon...

^M^

ages ago(permalink)

awww.. be nice guys.

if there was an error, i'm sure they'll correct it.

no need to get snippy.

@ ^M^:

pdf looks good to me.

the 'ice chips' was a cool way to put it.. lol.

ages ago(permalink)

For some members .. IMHO ..

We should remember that once upon a time, there was a group of very intelligent, independent thinkers, who worked together, and were able to create a device(s) ... 2 of them, that killed millions in a blink of an eye.

We here at Strobist-Flickr = 80,000 intelligent, independent thinkers, all with creative minds .. who, ... at times .. are equally damaging ....

Mikey and his sidekick are decent peeps ... they are unique individuals, who have a different sense of humor than some of us, as do myself for that matter.

I've watched many of their videos, and had some good fun watching them ... as for what each of you place for a value, this is for each to discover.

There are some members here who share their VAST wealth of knowledge with us for free, and I appreciate them for it. But, bills still have to get paid, and peeps need to eat ...

If his Square thing is incorrect, well ... he needs to deal with that .. but they are still decent peeps in my book ... (for whatever that's worth)

^M^

ages ago(permalink)

Hey everyone,

Good to hear your comments - sounds like there are some definite errors in here that I didn't catch (especially the 'genius square'.. big mistake if they described it that way. I didn't catch that part (and apparently just "got it" midway through them explaining it and sort of ignored the rest). The idea, when explained correctly, and while pretty obvious, has been the easiest explanation for me to understand.

I guess I should change my "Check it out" recommendation to "Check it out if you already have a bit of an idea of what you're doing and can make correction to what they say as needed" :)

I also found the "Always look into the light" part to be a bit odd as that's not always something you want to do.

ages ago(permalink)

Funny now Mikey Thompson of Lightenupandshoot is coming in and writing attacks on my FB page and then when he knows I read it he deletes it and writes something nice and then blocks me so I cannot respond to his page. He is a child. He is upset cause I wrote a review of his amateur V-book. Check out his hate attack on FB thomaschurchwell.com/Churchwellsblog/?p=6082

ages ago(permalink)

Thomas:

Your blog immediately lost credibility with me when I started seeing all the foul language. In my mind, if one cannot make a point without using a bunch of four letter words, then the argument must not be that strong to begin with. I just don't see appoint in using that approach. JMHO

... As for the vbook, I would agree with some of the comments above. In some of the free videos I have watched, while certainly entertaining and gets the creative juices going, the information has not been completely correct. I don't see why the book would be different.

Originally posted ages ago. (permalink)

tundracamper edited this topic ages ago.

Thomas - seems a bit of an overreaction? No big attack on you that I read

but I gotta say I just don't get these guys. Maybe it's cause I'm older and grumpy but their humour certainly seems more suited for college frat houses or the southpark generation

and the self promotion/please look at me look at me attitude is just annoying

ages ago(permalink)

Well I bought it today thinking I might learn something new and TBH I didn't. It's decent enough v-book compared to others I read. The guys are good guy's though seems they are just trying to pass on info and so what if they charge a small fee for it.

Besides they do offer to give you your money back if you're not happy.

ages ago(permalink)

says: Why in the world would anyone pay $200 for the correct information, crazy!

Actually .. I agree what you are saying.... BUT ... Millions of NY'rs spend $10.00 per day to inhale smoke that gives them cancer ... NOW THAT's CRAZYer ... IMO..of course ..

My point is, anyone who buys this V-Book to learn the ins-and-out of photography is probably a bit of a fool ... especially when one looks at the Vast amounts of information provided for free on the Strobist Blog lighting 101, 102, and the rest of the help one can get here for free.

IMO ... Mikey and Andy made a basic PDF book which probably has some useful information .. They're not claiming to have the answers to the mystery's of life ... How much does that FONG-o-Sphere thing cost :-)

EDIT for Grammar

Originally posted ages ago. (permalink)

^M^ edited this topic ages ago.

Tundra'- Sorry about the colorful metaphors, been in NYC too long. You must have hated the movie "Star Trek 4"

Jash-you only saw one so I understand where ya coming from. Just don't think it is right for them to give me a V-book for me to write my opinion about it and when I do they ban me from Lightenupandshoot.com website and block all FB to them and they unblock themselves long enough to write trash on my page and some of my FB friends and then wait to get a response and then delete it and write something nice and block me so I cannot respond back.

Also I wasn't self promoting, I was showing I have the experience to be able to say what I was saying. I feel that if I just say "I am a great photographer" then I could in the same boat as the two gringos from South America.

The facts are this, they are telling people with no experience the wrong information and making them pay 10 dollars for it and if it is the same information they give on their live workshops then people are paying 200 for the wrong information and no one is saying anything about it

ages ago(permalink)

Alright people, let me get a couple of words in because this is really getting out of hand!

The concept of the genius square is a fun way for people who are just starting out (NOT PROS) to grasp the concept! Just think about it for a second, if you knew NOTHING about photography how would you like to be taught?

@Thomas churchwell, I banned you from the forums for using bad language and flaming! The forums were not created for that, they are a place to help each other not for you to be bashing and creating frustration! Not because of your review, you are entitled to your opinion!

I also posted my comments on your blog explaining the misunderstanding of my retouching steps, yet they appear nowhere!

@rsieminski I have emailed you about 4 times about the genius square and you have not replied! I would like to clear this up because we have found no better way to show the RELATIONSHIPS between the variables! Nowhere does it say that it is exact, its just a way to visually show people how we think! As easy and uncomplicated as possible! It works for us, so we showed it!

So, the point behind the vbook is to make it as uncomplicated as possible for people to go shoot and get great results. They are the techniques that WE use and nowhere are we saying its the ALL OF ALL! So if you dont like it, fine! But dont say that there is misinformation since its what we use and how we shoot!

We should just let the photos do the talking! Anyone interested in a good ole fashion shootout? That should settle things!

Andy

www.lightenupandshoot.com

ages ago(permalink)

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