my life, my thoughts, my world.

These two very different Inauguration Day reactions were shot less than twenty feet away from each other. In many of the places I’ve been, two political views so opposed to each other, and in such close proximity, would result in immediate bloodshed. Such a thing could only occur peacefully in but a few places on this planet. While my feelings about the new POTUS are far from secret, I am still proud to be from this country.

My weekend project is now complete, and I now have three “high capacity” battery packs for my Vivitar 285HV speed lights. The project was started mainly in a quest for faster recycle times without resorting to AC power, or the use of the HV port (which is conveniently broken on all three of my 285s). Not having to worry about batteries running too low was a secondary concern. With everything said and done, the secondary is the only thing actually achieved. Recycle time with a 6V 4Ah SLA battery is identical to the recycle time with four 2700mAh AAs at full power. I can, however, fire off full power flashes long after the AAs are dead, and that is certainly useful. At 1/4 or 1/16 power, the recycle is a little faster after maybe 5 or 6 consecutive flashes, but for those first 5 or 6 flashes the AAs keep up just as well.

All in all, it feels like I wasted time and money on this project. Being able to shoot more is useful in limited circumstances, but typically I know what I want to shoot, set up, shoot it, and move on. On the bright side of things, the packs are pretty heavy so at least I can use them to keep my light stands anchored. At some point, I’ll end up buying some AlienBees and everything else required to take them out and about. Until then, I’ll use my power packs with my 285HVs and do what I do.

H.R. 45 – Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 – the first of what are sure to be a great many bills introduced to infringe upon 2nd Amendment rights over the course of the coming years. The tactics are the same as always. I will write more soon. If you’re remotely concerned about the further erosion of your personal freedoms, you might want to write your representatives in opposition now as opposed to later.