I have been using some new gear lately that folks might be interested in. First is the Lastolite Strobo Kit. If you shoot speedlights, you are going to want this. There are a lot of nice accessories for speedlights these days, but what is nice about this kit is all that it includes. The kit comes with the standard bracket (similar for an Ezybox) that fits both SB800s and 900s, two grids, a full set of gels, gel holders, and the best yet, metal cucoloris plates. These plates come in a variety of cutouts, and do great at casting shadows on a background to break up a boring solid colored wall. I’ve shown on workshops how you can shoot your speedlight through a planter (‘borrowed’ from the hotel lobby) with flowers to get a similar effect. But now I don’t have to steal any more decorations at hotels, I’ll have this kit instead. The plates and gels are put into gel holders, and these are magnetically attached to the main flash bracket. Very cool! The entire set up fits in an included black velcro case for easy carrying.
The other product I just got was the Memory Vault by Sandisk. The concept behind this storage device is simple. Save your best work and most important files on it, and store it offsite in a safe or other secure location. The vault has 16GB of capacity, and a projected storage life of 100 years. Most photographers find through their careers there are a handful of images that define them and their work. These are the image that get stored here so no matter what the disaster in your office, your images are safe.