World's Best Audio System 2012 - Wilmingtong NC
Got a cool $500,000 laying around. This year the system cam in right around 500K. Needless to say it was “Awesome.”
In 2008, Jeff Fritz developed an event based on his column, "The World’s Best Audio System," which he began writing in 2004 on http://www.UltraAudio.com. The idea was simple, somewhat controversial, and highly ambitious: With cost not a consideration, pick the absolute best audio components available at any price, assemble them into a singular super stereo system in my Music Vault listening room, and have representatives of each company fly to North Carolina (where he lives) for a celebratory gathering. The latest and greatest The World’s Best Audio System is now a reality and presented here for you to enjoy.
Sarah & Jason - Porters Neck Country Club Weddings- Wilmingotn NC Photographers
Sarah & Jason - Porters Neck Country Club
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Here comes Maddy
Tabitha + Mike + Vintage Engagement Session + Golf = Perfect, Wilmingotn NC Photographers
River Landing, Wallace, North Carolina. A picture perfect place for wedding and engagement photography.
Mike and Tabitha wanted to have their engagement session where they are getting married. We came up with a small plan with a small camera.... Game on. We shot video from inside the hole. Check it outread more here
Lacee + Jeremy + Engagement Session + Wilmington NC
Wrightsville Beach Weddings
Just launched the Wrightsville Beach Wedding Site
Looking for a beach wedding location? Wrightsville beach offers many locations to fit the casual to the formal. Check out some pictures here
Heather + Matt + Engagement Session + Wilmington NC
Wilmington NC Photographers - Launch of InMotion
Just launched InMotion, Photography fusion, my journey with video. Wilmington NC Photography
Check out the engagement session with Kacie & Joe. We just showed up and here is what we got. They had no idea I was going to shoot video.
Read the full scoop here
Come follow us at the Travelers Championship
February Rock Star
Enough of me, check out Chris. The audio was captured in one take on an Olympus audio recorder. I was a bonehead and had my audio recording turned down on the initial takes. Fortunately, I checked the audio before we ended. I had to ask Chris to play one more time and he knocked it out of the park. All I can say is that if you are looking for incredible music for your wedding or event, check out Chris Johns Cello .
I am of the belief that we always learn better from our mistakes. As I move more and more into video, it will take some time to come up with a system for both platforms, while at the same time being functional. Always one more tool to put in the tool bag of image making.
I always enjoyed video (which started back in the day with my first Kung Fu Theater on a 20 pound VHS tape recorder). I am excited to incorporate more and more video into my story telling.
January Rock Star
We got off to a bit of a late start due to a lot of late year travels but better late than never. Danielle was selected to be our first Rock Star Winner. We met for the first time the afternoon of the shoot. No plans in place other than going out and having some fun in downtown Wilmington. Ashley, my new assistant came along to help and learn a few lighting techniques. Had a chance to try out some new lights. Check out the video
January Rock Star from Chris Lang on Vimeo.
Danielle was great, looked awesome, and was a lot of fun to work with. It was freezing and both Ashley and Danielle hung in there. I could have kept going because we were getting into some really cool low light however the looks on both their faces was a good indicator to wrap it up.
Check Out the Rock Star Site For More Info... You could be next
Winter Cleaning - Found a CF card with pictures
For those of you who are not familiar with creative lenses, the lens baby is a type of tilt shift lens. It is one of the more fun lenses I like to use but generally do not post many photos with it. In short, the Lens Baby lens bends and changes the focal point or curves the field of focus. There are many factors that will impact the image including the amount and direction one’s bends the lens along with the type of aperture disk that is used. Enough of that, I will just show you. All the images below are straight out of camera. The only adjustments were brightness and contrast. These are not photoshop’ed images in any way.
I made a few custom aperture disc’s with shapes that will enhance the light in creative ways. I have used stars, palm trees, and other random shaped that impact the lighting in unique and fun ways.
Here is an example of what I cut out of my aperture ring. It is a squiggly... a curly q... a spiral... not sure how to define it. Here you can see how it takes the light and shapes it to the aperture ring shape. Below you can see more characteristics of how this aperture disc shapes the image. If I had to guess what aperture it would be (totally a guess) I think I would have it right around f.8
Here you can really get an idea of the Aperture shape on the top and bottom. The shape you see in the lights is the shape cut out in my aperture ring. 
Handheld here, kind of a fun effect with the fireworks.
If you like trying new things and really getting creative with your photography, I cannot recommend this lens enough. I actually have two Lens Babies. The 2.0 which is now the Muse and also the Composer. I like the quickness and flexibility with the 2.0 however the Composer is awesome, especially if you have to repeat a shot. I have a Canon Tilt shift and it is totally unique in its own way, also a lot sharper than the Lens Baby lenses. The Lens Baby dos have its own signature style and for me a bit more fun to use on the fly.
To learn more about this lens GoToThere
I was Shot... and now I'm a Rock Star
Check it out!
Podcast
Worlds most expensive home audio speaker
This will be the first of several updates all leading to an event being hosted in the Wilmington area that will be bringing some of the most exclusive home audio professionals in the world. The missions is simple. Try to put together the worlds best audio system in the world. More info can be found at
First stage... getting the speakers. Let me start by saying that my exposure to this event is to photograph the event. The words written in this post about the experience is from an average Joe (me), not an audio specialist. I had no idea this world existed until I met Jeff. If someone asked me how much the worlds most expensive system would cost I would have said (guessing) $50,000 tops.
Have you ever seen home audio speakers that came with their own fork lift? Just to give you an idea, each speaker weighs 950+ lbs. Yes 950 pounds.
If you have a cool $175,000 laying around, this might be a great pick up. I am still anticipating the the unwrapping and more so the experience to listen to these pieces of art. I have heard some of the other siblings to these speakers and all I can say is...not sure how to explain it. it had nothing to do with about being loud...it was just pure. The sound to the speakers (not the ones above) just seemed to envelop you. Simply amazing is how I can describe it. Cannot wait to to hear these.
Here are a a few shot of the set up and the one really really careful Jeff monitoring every little nudge of the speaker going into place.
UPDATE
THE SYSTEM IS IN
Here is the World’s Most Expensive Audio System
And it is Ohhhhhh so Sweeeet
Grand Total $360,679 Smackers
The big event is coming and I have no subject matter expertise to share in this realm other than this system sounds like nothing I have ever heard before. You can read about all the details HERE
WORKING DESIGN ON A BIG PROJECT
This one is really cool because it could be so many things to so many people. Here is a hint... rhymes with mop.. That is all I can say for now but hopefully in about a month I can share.
Site Evaluation
All of these shots were with the Canon 200 F2.0. This lens is world class. The more I use it the more I cannot live without it. I do not think there is a lens as sharp as this. The only down side, it is big and heavy to be trucking around in a wedding environment and if it is not an outdoor wedding your use becomes limited.
I will post some pic’s after the event to convey some of the ideas I have.
Port City Business
Port City Business Resources Project
If you are looking to advertise your business to other businesses this is a great place to do it. I had the pleasure working with President Steve Wike along with Steve McMillan of Cape Fear Video Productions to put an image on Port City Business. From the multiple plane trips for Aerials to the web design, I had a great time working with everyone. I highly encourage one to use Port City Business for effective marking solutions. Have your business in in print in front of 25,000 + businesses in the area. Wilmington Area.
Steve McMillan Was the first cover story of Port City Business. I was also tasked to photograph Steve for the “Cover Shot.” It was important to convey Wilmington so we headed to Downtown River Front. I have been experimenting with Led Lighting for several reasons. This shot was pulled off without flash and with the use of one assistant holding a 72 led lamp from the side highlighting the face and using natural light form the sunset on the other side. The one thing I like is that if you look at the eyes there is very minimal light reflection you would otherwise get form diffused flash lighting. WIth Led’s you do have to compensate for the color spectrum in post processing or otherwise use some gels over the light. These LED’s were battery operated and easy to carry. For location shoots where time is not a factor they work great. However, I have used them in situations where time was of the essence and they worked very quick.
Travelers Championship
Back From Uganda
This was the last day of our trip and I cannot even begin to explain the freedom and joy I had riding the trails of this village. Cannot put it into words but it will be remembered forever and be one pic that will represent the trip in totality of the new friends made.
