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Tom Saimon: from diyphotography.net

Tom Saimon

Tom Saimon is a boutique wedding and fashion photographer based in Haifa, Israel. Tom founded one of most sought-after wedding photography boutiques in Israel and shoots over 100 weddings a year, making him not only an established photogrpher, but also an authority in the industry. Tom is regularly featured in fashion and wedding magazines as a style benchmark

Articles by Tom Saimon

Why wedding photographers must have a 35mm lens in their kit

Using a 35mm f/1.4 lens for wedding wedding photography - title

May 15, 2023 by Tom Saimon Add Comment
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There are a lot of discussions about which medium, tele, and zoom lens teles are great for wedding photography. But it’s also important to remember that those are not the only options. This post is an unsung ode to a lens that is ignored many times by wedding photographers, yet it provides astonishing photos and, once used right, can produce some unique imagery.

So consider this post half praise, half inspiration to what you – a wedding photographer – can accomplish with a 35mm lens f1./4 lens if you put it through its paces. And while this specific post deals with the Canon 35 F/1.4 ($1,999), the same applies to Canon, Sony, and Fuji

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DIYP Reviews the Laowa Argus 28mm f/1.2 lens for still photographers

Laowa Argus 28mm f/1.2 lens review title card

Mar 28, 2023 by Tom Saimon Add Comment
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Not every day, I get to put my hands on an f/1.2 lens. And a 28mm at that. So obviously, I was curious to test the new Laowa Argus 28mm f/1.2 lens. While my guess is that Laowa is targeting video photographers with this lens, I think it could be a wonderful asset for still shooters.

Before diving in, let me make sure that we are clear on the two most important spec points of this lens: It is an f/1.2 lens, and it’s manual. I guess you can see where I am going with this.

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I am shooting over 100 weddings in 2022, and I just moved from Strobes to LEDs

ML-60bi LED light for wedding photography - title

Nov 4, 2022 by Tom Saimon 2 Comments
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It may sound crazy, but by the end of 2022, I will have shot over 100 weddings. It was quite a tolling year, but I did not want to leave anyone who got their wedding delayed due to COVID without a photographer and… The floodgates opened.

As a photographer who shoots so many weddings, I am very picky about my gear. I care about a lot, but pushed to the wall, I would say that durability and size/weight are the two most important factors when it comes to choosing gear. There is more to come, but the TL;DR is I’m in love with the Godox ML60Bi LED light.

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The Godox Lux Senior is one of the weirdest flashes I’ve see

Godox Lux Senior flash review

Sep 7, 2022 by Tom Saimon 5 Comments
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When I first saw the Godox Lux Senior flash, I knew I had to have one. Even before checking the specs. Even before reading the reviews. It was just such s cool looking piece of gear that I could not resist.

Now, I have had it for about a month. Was it worth the hype? Read on to learn more.

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DIYP reviews the IWATA master tube lights series

Oct 12, 2021 by Tom Saimon Add Comment
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Tubelights are becoming ever more popular. The last player to join the game is IWATA (whom we remember for their excellent mini panel). Actually, the mini panel was so good and ubiquitous that “IWATA panel” became a generic name for those mini bi-color lights. It seems that that panel was retired, but we were thrilled to learn that IWATA is now making tube-style lights. They sent us two of their new light panels, the 32 cm Master-R light and the 23 cm Master-S light. TL;DR – we were impressed.

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First review of Laowa’s 15mm F/4.5 shift lens – It’s a marvel for $1,200

Nov 23, 2020 by Tom Saimon Add Comment
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When Laowa announced their upcoming 15mm F/4.5 shift lens, I was intrigued. I mean, there is no tilt in this lens, but for most of my architecture work, shift is enough. Especially for a 15mm lens that is marked with zero distortion. For $1,200 this lens coupled with the Canon R5 is a beast combo. Let’s have a look at this unique lens.

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How to create a stylized art shoot on a shoestring budget

Nov 9, 2020 by Tom Saimon 1 Comment
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What do you do when you have to produce a stylized shoot on a shoestring budget? Use colors and paper, of course. I was hired by designer Ofek Bergman to shoot her new clothing collection. Well, hired is not really the term here, as it was more of a pro bono for a starving art student. As usual with this kind of production, almost everyone chipped in and donated their time in exchange for portfolio images, a learning experience, and a great day with great creatives.

With a very limited budget for art, we decided on a pop theme with strong colors and shapes. This would bring the costs down while creating coherency that ties Ofek’s collection together.

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This is hands down the best dual use bag I’ve used so far

Apr 4, 2020 by Tom Saimon Add Comment
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We first met WANDRD in PPE in New-york and they showed us the WANDRD DUO – a dual-use travel bag for photographers.  The bag raked over $650,000 on Kickstater so we were curious to test it.

I was impressed with the bag build-quality and feel and fell in love with the zipper system (more on that in a bit). This bag is not big enough to hold all the gear I use for my usual shooting setup, but it’s just the right size for the casual walk with a camera, or a quick run and gun gig.

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This is a great messenger bag for mirrorless cameras

Oct 31, 2019 by Tom Saimon 3 Comments
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I know that Peak Design’s Everyday Messenger has been here for a while. I’ve been using it for about four months now as my “lighter bag” and wanted to share my thought about why I think that it’s a great bag for small kits, and probably not the right choice if you have more gear.

Let me say this though, I love bags. A new bag is a check that cashes immediacy. You don’t need to take photos with it, no need to set it up, no need to bring a model in. the minute you buy a photography bag, it delivers. This is why I have lots and lots of bags. And this is why buying this (or any) photography bag will make you happy on the spot. Ready? lets jump in.

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What are Canvas backdrops and why you should own one

Dec 30, 2018 by Tom Saimon 2 Comments
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A canvas backdrop is a backdrop made, well, from a canvas. Canvas is a type of fabric that absorbs paint well, so it is often colored with textures, and this is what we are going to talk about today. We used canvases from Artery Backdrops, but what we say probably applies to all canvas backdrops.

I’ve heard canvases described in many ways, from cliche to regal and that really depends on how you use it. Annie Leibovitz has a canvas backdrop signature look, but so does those horrible portraits from the ’80s, so should you get one? Let me try and help.

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Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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