The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) is an international, non-profit association supporting the interests of the photography and imaging magazine publishing industry. The association represents 29 independent photographic magazines. Each year the editors of the member magazines vote for the best products introduced to the market during the previous 12 months, taking into account innovation, cutting-edge technology, design, ease-of-use and the price to performance ratio of the products.

On May 6, 2013, TIPA named the Profoto Pro-B4 battery generator the Best Professional Lighting System. The motivation is as follows:

“The Profoto Pro-B4 1000 Air is designed to handle the toughest shoots and deliver groundbreaking features that expand the photographer’s creative freedom. These features include extremely short flash durations down to 1/25,000 second, fast full power recycling time of 1 second, and delivery of up to 30 flashes per second at lower power settings. Made for both studio and on-location work, the Pro-B4 is constructed in solid-cast aluminum with a rubber frame, and all connections are covered with protective lids. With an 11-stop power range, a fast radio sync system, and recharge (even while in use) in less than 45 minutes, the Pro-B4 truly defines what a pro unit should deliver.”

Needless to say, the guys at the office are bursting with pride.

“If you had the chance, the opportunity, to inspire a future American president, would you?” This is the question photographer and Profoto Master, Matthew Jordan Smith is asking in his new project Future Presidents.

Future Presidents is all about inspiring young children and their parents to dream big. His goal is to travel to all 50 states, along with his Pro-7b and Magnum reflector, capturing images that answer the question, “What would you do if you were the President of the United States?” (more…)

Another month has passed, and it is once again time to revisit the most popular stories from the last four weeks. Here are the top five from March 2013:

Silver & Light, Part VII: Behind the Scenes of American Dream
Wet plates aficionado Ian Ruhter has a steady fan base. Consequently, we once again find his monthly post in our top five list.

New Flip Book for Portrait Photographers
Read it on your iPad, tablet or smart phone. Brimful of inspiration and tips and tricks from established portrait photographers!

How to Take a Portrait of 350 Sailors in Under 3 Hours
The title says is all, does it not? Why would you NOT want see that?

Kurtis Kronk tries the New AcuteB Two-head Split Cable
San Antonio-based wedding photographer Kurtis Kronk went to Enchanted Rock to try out the new Split Cable. Good stuff.

Light Shaping Tool of the Month: ProBox
We love the work Frasershot Studios create with the help of the ProBox. So do you, apparently.

On March 25, Profoto released the AcuteB Two-head Split Cable – an uncomplicated accessory that lets you connect two heads to your AcuteB2 battery generator. Photographer Kurtis Kronk has tried it out. Here is what he has to say.

The new AcuteB Two-head Split Cable is a cord with one plug in one end and two in the other. Connect it to the output on your AcuteB2 and you have two outputs at your disposal. Very simple, yet very effective.

San Antonio-based photographer Kurtis Kronk was the first to shoot with the Split Cable. Kurtis had long planned on doing a shoot with a yogini at Enchanted Rock – a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome a couple of hours drive from his studio. Before the release of the Split Cable, however, Kronk had to choose between using just one light and carrying two battery generators with him on his trip. But now there was a third option. (more…)

Remember this? Well, today is the official release date of the product we were talking about: the AcuteB Twin-head Split Cable. 

The Split Cable is a cord with one plug in one end and two in the other. Connect it to the output on your AcuteB2 and you have two outputs at your disposal. Very simple, yet very effective. It is either half the baggage or twice the possibilities, depending on what you are used to.

For the record, with the Split Cable connected, the power distribution from the AcuteB2 becomes fully symmetric and each head can be powered with up to 300Ws.

We would also like to take this opportunity to say thanks to those of you who replied to our little contest. As promised, we sent a Split Cable and two Acute-B Heads to one of you. The images and the interview that came out of it can found here.