Jason Lanier Photography

Best Photo Spot Locations in Death Valley National Park

May 30, 2021

Wanna know the best locations to do photo shoots in Death Valley National Park? Here are 3 of the best spots to get incredible shots whether you’re doing a landscape shoot or a model shoot! Click the video below to check it out now:

Location #1- Mesquite Sand Dunes- whether you’re dong shots at sunrise, sunset, or during the middle of the day, the Mesquite Sand Dunes are one of my favorite places to shoot in Death Valley. Compared to other sand dunes that I’ve had the opportunity to shoot, this particular location offers a lot of parking and incredible views. Images from Mequite Sand Dunes are shown below:

Location #2- Dante’s View- way at the top of the mountain in Death Valley is Dante’s View. It offers unparalleled views of the entire park. It’s a windy road to get up there, but once you do it’s completely worth it. Try to get up there about an hour before sunset so you can capture some beautiful images during Golden Hour. Below are images taken at Dante’s View using just natural light.

Location #3- Devil’s Golf Course- this is one of the most unique places I’ve seen on planet earth. Once you drive out there it gives you a 360 view of these crazy rock formations. Just make sure to bring good shoes because the rocks are sharp and you’ll want to be careful when moving around on them. Below are images taken about an hour before sunset with the sun at the model’s back for some beautiful shots. If you are doing a model shoot make sure to bring a flash to get the most flash to get the most out of this experience.

For these shoots I used the Sony A6500 with the Tamron 17-70mm lens, except for the shoot on top of Dante’s View which I used the Sony A9 with the Sigma 20mm Art lens. All of these locations tend to be very harsh environments so please be mindful of the weather and your needs to make sure you have the proper clothing and water to make these trips.

Links to Gear

*Sony A6500- https://bhpho.to/2B9VBqL

*Sony A9- https://bhpho.to/31qNTlv

*Tamron 17-70mm- https://bhpho.to/3g5D5Sv

*Sigma 20mm Art Lens- https://bhpho.to/2EUkyrY

**Links to Social Media**

Photographer: Jason Lanier

*Website- www.jasonlanier.com

*Podcast- www.jasonlanier.com/podcast

*Instagram- www.instagram.com/jasonlanierphotography

*Facebook- www.facebook.com/groups/jasonlanierworkshops

*Twitter- www.twitter.com/jlanierphoto

Model: Shalinitin

*Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shalinitin_srivastava/

Please let me know what questions you have in the comments below. Thanks for watching!

Jason Lanier

Hands on Review of the Fuji 23mm f/1.4 lens for Fuji Crop Sensor Cameras

May 7, 2021

How does the 23mm Fuji lens (35mm equivalent) hold up to it’s full frame competitors like the Sony Zeiss 35mm? Wanna see comparison pics as well as finished images from model and landscape shoots? Check out the video review of this lens below that shows it all to help you see what this lens can do when used with the Fuji X-S10 crop sensor body. Click below to watch it now:

This lens is a little less expensive than the Sony Zeiss 35mm which I’ve used for years and is one of my favorite lenses. So I thought comparing the two lenses side by side would be beneficial because the 23mm is an equivalent of 35mm (1..5x crop factor) since it’s being used on a crop sensor body.

Below are the images from the two cameras. What do you think? Both sets of images were shot in Raw, Auto White Balance, and are completely unedited.

This is the Sony A9 with the 35mm f/1.4 Sony Zeiss

This is the Fuji X-S10 using the 23mm f/1.4 lens

While filming this review at the beautiful Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah I was able to do a model shoot and some landscape photography using this lens. Below are the finished edited images from those shoots. I’m super impressed by what I was able to get out of this lens.

All in all I think this lens holds up very well against it’s full frame countertop and really delivers some stunning image quality. As noted in the video it does display chromatic aberration but the Sony does so as well. And that’s easily fixed with a quick swipe of the slider in Lightroom as shown in the video. The only area where this would become an issue for both lenses would be when filming video.

I’d highly recommend this lens to anyone using the Fuji crop sensor system. I certainly was able to create some really cool pics out there in the Utah desert. A BIG thanks to my friends at AVC Photo Store and School for helping me out with the gear on this shoot. You can check them out at https://avcstore.com

Please post your comments down below and let me know what you think. Also let me know what you’d like to see in a future video. Thanks for watching my friends!

Jason

www.rotolight.com/jasonoffers

How To Use and Set Up a 5 Foot Octabox for LED Lights- Snapbag Octa for the Rotolight Titan

April 27, 2021

Looking for a large modifier for your LED light? Wanna really SPREAD the light out but don't know where such a modifier exists or how to use it? Check out this video that explains it all!

The video above was created to show you how to set up and use the Snapbag Octa 5 with the Rotolight Titan X1 shot in front of the beautiful Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. This was done in part because Jason recently conducted a shoot at a rain studio using this light and modifier and he wanted to show people how to use and set it all up prior to releasing his video of that shoot. Below is one of the pics created at that shoot that will be released in a future video:

For more information about this light and modifier, and to get the best deals out there on these lights please visit:

We thank you for watching and hope it was beneficial to you.

Thanks!

Jason Lanier Photography

*Sony A6500- https://bhpho.to/2B9VBqL

Why Sensor Size Matters- Comparing Crop Sensor to Full Frame to Medium Format Cameras

April 13, 2021

Ever wonder if sensor size matters? If so, how? Depth of Field, Color, Bokeh, and Low Light Performance are all impacted by sensor size. Check out the video below to find out what you need to know!

In this review shot in the beautiful landscape of Alaska, Jason Lanier compares the Sony A6500 (Crop Sensor), Sony A7C (Full Frame) and the Fujifilm GFX 50R (Medium Format). He shoots the cameras using the same Full Frame equivalent of 50mm.

Sensor size plays a bigger role than many photographers may know. Sensor size affects depth of field (blur and separation), bokeh (how large), colors and the low light performance of a camera.

Depth of Field Comparison

Left to Right- Crop, Full Frame, Medium Format

Color

Left to Right- Crop, Full Frame, Medium Format

Bokeh

Left to Right- Crop, Full Frame, Medium Format

**Links to Gear-

*Tamron 17-70mm lens- https://bhpho.to/3g5D5Sv

*Sony A7C- https://bhpho.to/3qrSRc9

*Sony Zeiss 50mm- https://bhpho.to/2Wl7OjY

*Fuji GFX 50R- https://avcstore.com/products/fujifilm-gfx-50r-medium-format-mirrorless-camera-body-only?_pos=1&_sid=62647f7ce&_ss=r

*Fuji GF 63mm- https://avcstore.com/collections/medium-format-lenses-1/products/fujifilm-gf-63mm-f-2-8-r-wr-lens

We hope you find this video helpful and we thank you for watching! Jason Lanier Photography

Bodypaint Shoot at the Jupiter Dungeon with Jason Lanier

March 8, 2021

Wanna see how to make a body paint shoot into something more than a typical sexy shoot? Wanna tell a story? Create mood and atmosphere? Join award winning photographer Jason Lanier for his body paint shoot done at the abandoned Jupiter Dungeon in Florida where he uses lighting and smoke to create an out of this world shoot experience!

To watch the video from this shoot please click below now!

This was a shoot using the Sony A9 with the 50mm Sony Zeiss and 20mm Sigma Art lenses. The atmospheric haze that you’ll see in the video was purchased on Amazon. The Jupiter Dungeon is an abandoned parking garage that was never finished due to the developers running out of money. It’s a really cool place to shoot.

To see the gallery of images created at this shoot please click below.

—Gear used in the video:

**Sony A9- https://bhpho.to/35PyHQX

**Sony Zeiss 50mm- https://bhpho.to/2Wl7OjY

**Links to Social Media**

Photographer:

Jason Lanier *Website- www.jasonlanier.com

*Podcast- www.jasonlanier.com/podcast

*Instagram- www.instagram.com/jasonlanierphotography

*Facebook- www.facebook.com/groups/jasonlanierworkshops

*Twitter- www.twitter.com/jlanierphoto

Model: Jamaican Red (Danni)

*Instagram: www.instagram.com/jamaicanred_

Crew: Anthony Schick, Zach Smith

www.instagram.com/anthonyschickphotography

www.instagram.com/zsmithphoto

We thank you for watching and invite you to watch a few more videos while you're here. Don't forget to click on subscribe and notifications so you're updated every time a new video is released!

Thanks!

Jason Lanier Photography

Creating Dorothy- How Never Giving Up Can Result in Your Best Work

March 5, 2021

Ever feel like giving up photography? Do setbacks set you down permanently? Join Jason Lanier for a video where he perseveres through a setback to create some breathtaking work as he exemplifies the definition of never giving up.

This shoot was conducted in Belle Glades, Florida on the side of a road in a sugar cane field. This was an unplanned shoot that had to be created on the fly due to Jason and his team getting thrown out of their original shoot location. In this video Jason uses the Rotolight Titan X1 in flash mode with the Elinchrom Skyport Transmitter to create some movie like imagery with the models named Maddi and Nicole.

This was shot using the Sony A9 with the 35mm Sony Zeiss lens. Below are images taken at the shoot

**Links to Gear**

-Rotolight Titan X1- for the best deals on all Rotolight products please visit: www.rotolight.com/jasonoffers

-Sony A9- https://bhpho.to/35PyHQX

-Sony Zeiss 35mm- https://bhpho.to/31XPakZ

**Links to Social Media**

Photographer: Jason Lanier

*Website- www.jasonlanier.com

*Podcast- www.jasonlanier.com/podcast

*Instagram- www.instagram.com/jasonlanierphotography

*Facebook- www.facebook.com/groups/jasonlanierworkshops

*Twitter- www.twitter.com/jlanierphoto

**Models: Madison Ella and Nicole Taylor

*Instagram: www.instagram.com/madisoneellaa

www.instagram.com/nicole.tayylor

Crew: Anthony Schick, Gato Delix, Greg McCoy

www.instagram.com/anthonyschickphotography

www.instagram.com/gatodelix

www.instagram.com/gregselfaction

We thank you for watching and invite you to watch a few more videos while you're here. Don't forget to click on subscribe and notifications so you're updated every time a new video is released! Thanks! Jason Lanier Photography

9 Comments

The Empty Inauguration for Joe Biden- the 46h President of the United States

January 21, 2021

Get an on the street look as to what the Inauguration of Joseph Biden looked land left like in Washington, DC on January 20, 2021. With the city in a lockdown by the military, the 46th President of the United States was sworn in during the smallest inauguration in modern history. Check out the video below to see the entire experience.

The best way to describe my experience covering this inauguration is EMPTY. I stayed at a hotel less than 1 mile from the Capitol Building which gave me the opportunity to walk to the proceedings. This is the 4th inauguration that I’ve covered during my career and it was by far the most eerie and alarming.

My first inauguration that I covered was Obama in 2009. That event was chillingly cold weather wise, but in every other way it was filled with massive crowds and a celebration by his supporters. 2013 for Obama was a far less celebratory affair with smaller crowds but no riots, no protests, and relatively no problems.

Trumps Inauguration in 2017 was filled with riots and protests from those who were upset at his election victory. Anti-Trump groups blocked Trump supporters from attending the Inauguration, and riots, fires and vandalism started in the streets in Washington, DC that night.

All of that pales in comparison to the absolutely eerie and in many ways scary feeling in Washington, DC in 2021 for Joe Biden. I walked the streets the night before to find the city in a complete military lockdown. I walked around for hours around the fencing that had been erected to block off access to the entire National Mall. I didn’t find or see a single Biden supporter. I also never saw a single Trump supporter that so many people in the Biden Administration were worried about.

All I saw was a MASSIVE military presence. 25,000 members of the National Guard. That was in addition to Secret Service, Capitol City Police, Customs and Border Patrol, The Park Service and more. The entire city was in complete lockdown with fully armed assault rifles. I’d only ever seen something like this in my visits to third world countries in airports and around embassies, but never to this degree. This was a very heart breaking thing to witness.

My goal with every inauguration that I’ve covered has been to show my fellow citizens what it’s like from the ground perspective to attend and witness the inauguration of our President. There are more than enough press getting the same shots of the President putting his hand on the Bible to take the oath. I’ve always wanted to show that it’s like for the normal people out there. This was the first time the National Mall was completely blocked off to citizens unless you had an in with a politician. It was surreal.

On inauguration morning the streets were completely empty. I walked from my hotel down Massachusetts Avenue and then to New Jersey Avenue towards the Capitol Building. Every street, every intersection, every alley way barricaded by huge military vehicles and guarded my military personnel. The only crowd I could find were full of members of the press. I got as close as any of us could to the Capitol Building near Union Station. That was the area where they were shuttling in dignitaries who were apparently important enough to be let inside.

Standing so close to the Capitol Building yet not being able to hear or see anything going on there was just….crazy. If it weren’t for the news you would have no clue that our country just inaugurated a new President. There were no speakers, no large screens, NOTHING. Nobody on the outside where I was located had any reaction to anything. In fact at 11:48am when Joe Biden was sworn in, there wasn’t a single person there who really even knew it happened. No clapping, no cheers, nothing. It was like it never happned.

They used two large buses to block off access to the Capitol Building from where we were standing. That was the closest any person could get. This was the area that saw the largest crowd of the day which was at best 200-300 people with the vast majority of them being photographers and members of the press. There were 3 Trump supporters who were there peacefully. And there were 3 Biden supporters who were also there peacefully. THAT WAS IT.

The only people causing any issues were the crazy “Homos to Hell,.” people (group of 3) who come to every inauguration I’ve ever documented seeking to stir up trouble. And they weren’t affiliated with either Trump or Biden supporters. They just love the attention they bring from provoking the crowds with insults.

At around 1pm everyone just kind of left. There were a small handful of vendors trying to sell Biiden/Harris beanies, hats and magazines, but there was really nobody there to buy them. It was so empty out there that I even passed a USPS delivery van that was parked on the side of the road and the mail delivery person had the door open just rocking out to music in his own world.

The entire experience seemed like a scene out of a dystopian movie. Odd, eerie, somber, and just sad. I’m very grateful that I was able to document this event and the other 3 that I’ve done. Handing power over to the person who becomes the most powerful person in the world is a very historic event. This one just felt like it never happened. I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I’m not saying it didn’t happen. I’m just saying if you were there on the streets with me and the other 250 people that gathered….we never knew it happened.

Below are some images taken during my two days covering this event. They blocked off the entire National Mall from January 19th through January 22nd. I truly hope future inaugurations will bring the freedom of access to myself and all fellow Americans. And I thank you for taking the time to read and watch the documentary that I created.

All images were taken using the Sony A6500 with the Tamron 17-70mm lens. I had my bigger cameras with me, but this bundle was more than enough for the small affair brought in our 46th President.

9 Comments

www.rotolight.com/jasonoffers

SUPERCHARGE Your FLASH! How to get more light out of your Neo 2 using the DTap Connection

July 14, 2020

Do you want to know how to get more power out of your Neo 2? Let’s SUPERCHARGE it!

Join Jason Lanier for a video shoot in the hot desert of California where he shows you how to SUPERCHARGE your FLASH with the Rotolight Neo 2 using the Dtap Connection.

All you need:

Rotolight Neo 2
V-mount Battery
Dtap cable
light stand
umbrella bracket.

SAVE 46%

NEO 2 + Transmitter

Coupon Code: JLNEO2HSS

SAVE 48%

Battery Bundle with D-Tap Travel Charger

Coupon Code:
JLBTBUN

In this video Jason uses his battery from the Rotolight Aeos on his Neo 2 to give it a real extra punch in the shots! The Neo 2 typically takes 6 (six) AA batteries to be powered remotely. But when you use the Dtap connection you can take the battery from the Aeos or the Anova Pro 2 and plug it into the Neo 2 making it significantly more powerful in flash mode than when you use just AA batteries.

Below are images Jason took at the shoot. Visit www.rotolight.com/jasonoffers for exclusive deals on some of the best LED lights in the world.

For more information about the lights and bundles that Jason recommends and uses please visit www.rotolight.com/jasonoffers today! There are some tremendous bundles and savings that are just for his subscribers. So make sure to take advantage of them today!

Gear used in the video includes:

*Sony A7Riii- https://bhpho.to/32jxEsw

*Sony Zeiss 50mm- https://bhpho.to/2Wl7OjY

*Manfrotto Lighstand- https://bhpho.to/2DCKuaJ

**Links to Social Media-

Jason Lanier

*Instagram- @jasonlanierphotography

*Facebook- www.facebook.com/jasonlanierworkshops

*Twitter- @jlanierphoto

*Website- www.jasonlanier.com

Emily Rinaldo

*Instagram- @em.explores

*Website- www.emilyrinaldo.com

Necklace wrapped by Stephany Ferreira. Check out her work, The Art of Yuki, at https://www.theartofyuki.com/

We thank you for watching and invite you to stick around and watch a few more videos while you're here. Don't forget to click on subscribe and notifications so you're updated every time we release a brand new video.

Thanks!

Jason Lanier Photography

Uncovering Covid-19- Freedom: Being Arrested, and Going to Jail During a Global Pandemic

May 13, 2020

Freedom- How is Covid 19 Changing our Laws and and Freedom? In this documentary film we travel the United States to try and discover how our freedoms are being impacted by the outbreak of the Covid 19 Pandemic.

Uncovering Covid-19- How New York City has handled the Subway, the Homeless, and the Pandemic

May 4, 2020

Jason Lanier and Emily Rinaldo explores the depths of the NYC transit system and may have potentially found one of the leading causes to the spread of the coronavirus in NYC.

How to Shoot in Flash Mode with the Rotolight Neo 2 by Jason Lanier- Bamboo Forest in Maui, Hawaii

March 4, 2020

Jason Lanier photographs Emily Rinaldo using the Sony A7Riii and Rotolight Neo 2 modified by the Rotolight Illuminator. In this video Jason demonstrates how to set up and shoot in flash mode in Maui’s Bamboo forest. Let us know what you think in the comments below. Thanks for viewing!

Abandoned Coco Palms- Coco Wedding in Kauai, Hawaii by Jason Lanier

February 12, 2020

Jason Lanier photographs Emily Rinaldo in an abandoned hotel in Kauai, Hawaii using the Sony A7Riii and Godox Ad600 Pro modified by the Westcott Rapidbox XXL. Jason shot this with the Sony Zeiss 50 mm f/ 1.4 lens and Sigma Art 20 mm f/ 1.4 lens. Let us know what you think in the comments below. Thanks for viewing!

Jason Lanier's Real Wedding Workshop- Kauai, Hawaii (October, 2019)

December 28, 2019

Join Jason Lanier as he photographs a bride and groom in Kauai, Hawaii. Throughout this shoot Jason utilized natural light, strobe and LED. Take a look at some of the shots and let us know what you think in the comments below! Thanks for tuning in.

Jason Lanier Photography Flickr Models Gallery

December 21, 2019

For more portraits and wedding photography by Jason Lanier follow the links in the blog and you will be directed to the galleries on Flickr. Thanks so much for checking out the work.

Jason Lanier Photography Inspiration Pinterest Boards: Models, Urbex, Landscapes, Wildlife, Wedding, Photojournalism, and more!

December 21, 2019

Are you interested in photography boards? Visit the blog and follow the links to be directed to several Jason Lanier Photography Pinterest Boards. These photography boards showcase models, weddings, photojournalism, landscapes, urbex, wildlife from all over the world. Let us know if you like the boards in the comments below. Thanks so much!

How to Set your White Balance for GREAT TONES in Natural and Artificial Light using Rotolight Aeos by Jason Lanier

December 20, 2019

Join Jason Lanier and Emily Rinaldo at Lava Rock Beach in Maui, Hawaii. In this post, Jason demonstrates how to set your white balance using a grey card, the Sony A7Riii and the Rotolight Aeos. Share your thoughts in the comments below! Thank you for tuning in.

Securing a Photography Light with a SEATBELT? Jason Lanier at the Koloa Sugar Mill using the Sony A7Riii and Godox AD600 Pro

December 6, 2019

Join Jason Lanier and Emily Rinaldo at an abandoned sugar mill used in scenes from Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw. In this post, Jason completes a five-minute challenge using the Sony A7Riii, Godox AD 600 Pro, and 48” Westcott Rapidbox XXL with a little out of the box thinking approach!! Tune in to see what Jason does and let us know what you think in the comments below. Thanks for watching.

Jason Lanier’s Real Wedding, Helicopter Excursion Workshop in Anchorage Alaska (June 2019).

November 15, 2019

Jason Lanier, bride, groom and crew charter 3 helicopters to three different glaciers to capture timeless, unique, bold, creative and elegant wedding photography. Oh, and Jason also married the couple! Check out the blog to read more. Let us know what you think!

Photographing the Aurora Borealis- Ten Tips to Get GREAT Shots of the Northern Lights by Jason Lanier

November 5, 2019

Jason Lanier and Emily Rinaldo photograph and witness one of Earth’s most gorgeous phenomenons, the Aurora Borealis in Kiruna, Sweden for the very first time!!