SPEAKING AT NPPA BEST OF PHOTOJOURNALISM AWARD SHOW + EDUCATION FESTIVAL

BY AL DIAZ

ALDIAZ305@AOL.COM

I’m very excited to be headed to speak at NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism Award Show and Education Festival at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre.

I’ll join an award-winning line-up of photojournalists and editors including,

John Tlumacki, Patrick Smith, Scott Mc Kiernan, James K. Colton,

Sean Proctor, Niko Koppel, Joshua Maranhas, Tom Rapp, Chang W. Lee, Nicole Fruge, James Gehrz, Aaron Kurtz, Andy Buck, Michael Driver, Enrico Meyer, Corky Scholl and Bethany Swain

Think Tank Photo and Peak Design have provided door prizes for my session!

If you’re anywhere near Florida please join us in West Palm Beach on August 8 – 9, 2014 for a very memorable weekend of celebration and education. 415 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Fl. 33401 Phone: 561.253.2600

View the schedule of events HERE

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

PHOTO: Haitian President Michel Martelly Busts a Move

Haitian President Michel Martelly busts a move as he sings and dances during a town hall meeting with Haitian leaders at North Miami Senior High on Saturday. 

PHOTO: Barkhaus

Andres Monasterios and Natalie Sanchez, of Barkhaus Miami, walk a pack of 29 dogs down NE 5th Avenue on Friday Thursday, July 17, 2014. Every morning they take the dogs in their care on a pack walk. 

Monasterios says, "There are some that don't join in - elderly dogs, bulldogs and some that are not as athletic - wait for us at home. The rest go on the adventure and when we return all the dogs either nap or will continue to play in the yard."

Peak Design Smashes Kickstarter Goal with Slide, Clutch & Anchor Links

BY AL DIAZ
ALDIAZ305@AOL.COM
Peak Design smashed through their Kickstarter goal of $50,000 in less than 48 hours with their newly designed camera strap called Slide, the hand strap called Clutch and the attachment system called Anchor Links. As of Tuesday, July 8, they have up to 3,645 backers with 38 days to go.

Al Diaz and Cindy Seip using the original Peak Design Leash & Anchor
at Zion National Park in Utah. Photo by Angelika Diaz using 
Al's iPhone. PD does not have a strap for that...

About a year ago I switched to Peak Design’s originally designed camera strap, Leash and Anchor after getting tired of being smacked in the face by loose metal hardware on camera straps I used by other manufacturers. Peak Design’s unique quick-connection system and overall versatility of the strap changed how I carry my camera bodies on daily assignments anywhere, from the NBA Finals, spot news, feature, portrait session or last week’s family vacation at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. (See more photos at end of review).

The best part of the system, the Anchor, allows for quick removal or attachment and functionality of the Leash, with a variety of ways of attaching or securing a camera body or long telephoto lens. Each Anchor is rated to over 100 lbs (45kgs) of weight and is made from braided Kevlar® cord overmolded with Delrin® thermoplastic.

The length of the Leash is easily adjustable and stays in place after you’ve made the adjustment. It is featherweight and easily configures as a sling strap, neck strap, safety tether, video stabilizer and more.

The original Leash’s smooth webbing glides over your clothing and is very comfortable unless you are carrying a brick of a camera such as the Canon EOS-1D X with a mounted 300mm f/2.8L IS II. Carrying that kind of weight, the strap digs into your shoulder a bit. This has left me wishing for a wider camera strap to distribute the total weight of the gear.

At last, the new wider Slide by Peak Design fulfills that need!

WHAT IS SLIDE?

Slide is a camera strap, but one that's different from every other camera strap out there. Slide is more than just a neck strap, sling strap or shoulder strap. Slide is a new kind of camera strap that incorporates everything we love about existing straps, as well as feedback from thousands of photographers worldwide. More than strong enough to hold 
any pro camera/lens/accessory combo.

In a nutshell, Slide is the most thoughtfully designed camera strap ever created.

SLIDE IS:

• Wearable as a sling strap, shoulder strap or neck strap.
• Quick connecting with one hand, using the patent-pending Anchor Link™ connection system.
• Smooth on one side and grippy on the other, and instantly reversible
• depending on your preference.
• Comfortable even with the heaviest of pro cameras.
• Made of tubular seatbelt-style webbing with padding on the inside for less bulk and a clean, classic look.
• Compatible with ARCA-type tripod heads, so you can place your camera in the tripod without unscrewing anything.
• Quickly customizable and adjustable. It can attach to multiple places on your camera and quickly cinch to fit your body type or activity.

_________________________________________________________________________

Cindy Seip likes to change it up by using a wrist strap so she uses the Peak Design Cuff. 

If you like using a wrist strap like Cindy Seip, seen here using the original Peak Design Cuff, Well... PD has redesigned that too by introducing Clutch.

WHAT IS CLUTCH?

Clutch, the only quick-connecting, quick-adjusting camera hand strap ever made, Clutch gives you security when you need it, but also allows instant access to your camera's controls. With materials and hardware inspired by high end climbing gear, Clutch's simple, rugged design can only be described as "dead sexy."

CLUTCH IS:

• Quick connecting with one hand, so you can add or remove it as needed.
• Quick adjusting, so you can tighten it when you need extra security and loosen it when you need to access your camera's controls.
• Low profile and unobtrusive compared to other camera hand straps on the market.
• Made from premium materials and custom hardware inspired by high-end climbing gear.

_________________________________________________________________________

Cindy also likes the functionality of the Micro Anchor attachments for use with Leash or Cuff. Unlike conventional straps, Cindy can fit her Canon EOS-5D Mark II into her Ikelite underwater camera housing with the Micro Anchor attached without the hassle of removing a conventional strap only to struggle to get it back on the camera when she is on land. With the Micro Anchors attaching the Leash or Cuff is a breeze.

Underwater portraits by Cindy Seip

Loving the camera strap you use now? Don’t like their attachment system? You can fix that. Peak Design has come out with Anchor Links™ Quick Connectors.

WHAT ARE ANCHOR LINKS?

Anchor Links are designed to work with or without battery grips, and strong enough to hold any pro camera/lens/accessory combo. Anchor Links are quick connectors that let you take the PD lightning-fast and uber-secure connection system and put it on any standard camera strap. Keep the strap you love, and make it better.

ANCHOR LINKS ARE:

• Super strong. Each Vectran®-corded Anchor can withstand over 200 lbs. of force, strong enough for any pro rig. Each package includes 4 Anchors and 2 Links.
• Low-profile, lightweight and unobtrusive. Plus, the Delrin® Anchor disks will never scratch your camera body.
• Adaptable to any standard camera strap, from your brand new OEM strap to your Dad's vintage leather strap he used in college. Works with straps up to 12mm wide, which is a nearly-universal pro camera strap standard.
• The same connection system used on all Peak Design straps.

_________________________________________________________________________

To pre-order the new Peak Design  Slide, Clutch or Anchor Links,  support them on Kickstarter: pkdsn.com/ks. The gear can be preordered at a significant discount from it's future planned retail price.

If you want to get a hold of other Peak Design products right away, visit Peak Design and order directly from them. If you use my discount code: diaz You'll get 10% off everything at their store.

_________________________________________________________________________________ 

AND FINALLY... 
A few family vacation pictures taken last week while using Peak Design gear at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah with Cindy, James Bartek, 
Angelika and Al Diaz.