Photography Resources - The Wondrous World of Leslie Banks

Photography Resources

Here’s a list of resources that I like and use in my commercial stock and portrait photography business. There are many other cool products, stores and training courses out there that I haven’t tried yet, and I’ll update the list as I find ones that I like.

DSLR Camera & Lenses

Equipment I currently use, or the closest equivalent to what’s available today where noted

Camera Accessories

Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT - this is the upgrade to the model I have.
UV Filters, like these. You'll need one for each lens to protect it from scratches. Each lens requires a different size.
Circular Polarizing Filters, like these. Nice for landscapes, enhancing blue skies and clouds. Each lens requires a different size.
Micro-Fiber Lens Cleaning Cloth, like this one. A must have in your camera bag.
Giottos Rocket - to remove dust in a non-invasive way.

Home Studio Equipment

AlienBees - my strobe lights, which I’ve had for years. One of the many reasons I like these is that the replacement flashtubes are reasonably priced. Always check the bulb replacement costs before buying a strobe unit.
CyberSync Wireless Remote System - to remotely fire the strobe units without a sync cord.
Savage Background Port-A-Stand Kit - this is the backdrop stand that I use both in my home studio and on the road.
Savage Widetone Seamless Background Paper (#01 Super White, 107" x 36') - the white paper I use for my “isolated on white” photos, but they have many colors.
Photogenic 3 Strobe Light Web Kit (120V) - I use this for some product photos. Lighting from underneath makes “isolating on white” post processing a bit easier.
Step Stool, like this one - I’m kinda short and most my clients are taller than me (except for children). I use a ladder like this to shoot slightly above eye level from the subject. The high metal arch allows me to lean forward while shooting without tipping over or falling off.
Portable Step Stool, like this one - It allows clients to sit near the ground without getting their clothes dirty, especially for outdoor portraits.

Light Modifiers

Umbrellas, like this one, for use mainly on my strobe lights. I have a variety of brands. A removable cover is a plus - black for bouncing light and white for a softbox effect. Have a variety of sizes - small ones for tight spaces, and larger ones for open spaces.
Lastolite TriFlip 8 in 1 Grip Reflector Kit - I love this, especially the handle, which is quite useful on a windy day.
Westcott 5-in-1 Reflector Disc - 40.5" (1 m)

Where I Shop

District Camera and Imaging - my local brick and mortar store. I buy the big stuff here, where I can talk live with a knowledgeable sales rep. You can also buy online from around the country.
B&H - one of the online stores I use for things like backdrop paper and lighting modifiers. They have a great selection of photo, video and audio equipment.
Paul C. Buff - where I buy most of my lighting equipment.
Micro Center - for computer and computer accessories.

Editing Software

Adobe Creative Cloud - I have the All Apps subscription plan, which I use almost every day. Here are the ways I’ve used some of their apps over the years:
- Lightroom - for organizing and doing global edits to my photos.
- Photoshop - for detail editing of my photos.
- InDesign - to lay out my children’s picture books and other graphic design projects.
- Illustrator - to create and edit drawings and maps.
- Dreamweaver - to create websites, or at least practice in my case! I’ve also used it in the past to create ebooks.
- Premiere Pro - to edit videos.
- Fonts - to get additional fonts.
- Acrobat DC - to edit PDFs.
Adobe Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements - this is not part of the Creative Cloud Suite, but it can be purchased individually. I started with this before graduating to Photoshop. Excellent and affordable.
Photoshop and Lightroom Plug-In Filters, Presets and Actions - these are great for giving photos a certain “look” or speeding up the editing process. These websites have many nice product offerings aside from what I use or have used. Some offer freebies or free trials.
- On1 - I use their Lightroom presets and Photoshop filters.
- Fix the Photo - I use their Lightroom presets.
- Trey Ratcliff’s Stuck in Customs - I use his Lightroom presets.
- Nicolesy - I use her Lightroom presets.
- PortraitPro - for editing portraits, which I use especially for smoothing skin.
- Topaz Labs - I use their noise reduction and star effect plug-ins.

Learning

LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com - online training for Adobe Creative Cloud, web development, graphic design, social media, business, programming languages, photography and more.
KelbyOne - online Photoshop, Lightroom, Adobe Creative Cloud and photography training. Scott Kelby writes great, easy to follow books, too.
DPReview - for in depth product reviews and comparisons. I look here before I buy a camera or lens.
Strobist - for lighting equipment information and techniques.

Web Hosting

Photodeck - hosting company for my photography business website, www.pixlifephoto.com. (Not this website, www.lesliebanksworld.com). This is my platform for serving clients, where they can view and order images. And also where I sell a selection of my stock photos direct. I like many things about this company, but mostly that they charge only a flat, monthly rate and do not take a commission for the products I sell from my website.

Video

Photodex - software to create my videos slideshows, such as this one. They have several versions. I use ProShow Producer because it gives me the creative control I need.
Vimeo - my video hosting site.

Computer Hardware

PowerSpec Desktop Computers - Micro Center repairs this brand in house with a quick turnaround, very important when clients are waiting for their orders.
Wacom Intuos Pen Tablet - using a pen, instead of a mouse, is a must for detailed editing.
External Hard Drives - I use Seagate and Western Digital to back up my many terabytes of photo files.

Props

Stock photography involves using many props, and accumulation of props to create a collage, theme or "look." My prop closet is stacked to the ceiling and spilling over into all other parts of the house. I pick up many items at these places: