Sandy Buller photographer | filmmaker | musician

Sandy Buller has another Photo on the Cover of Underground Construction

Starting Off 2015 With a Photograph on the Cover of Underground Construction

Collection of Photographs by Sandy Buller

Earthy at Repka's

I saw the woman at Repka's Country Store and Restaurant there today, she was really cool and friendly. I asked her if I could take a photograph of her, she said yes. After I took this photo of her, she told me that it was really nice that I said hello and wanted to take a photo of her. She started to cry, saying she needed someone to pay attention to her today, and now here I was taking photos of her. I gave her a hug and told her she was a very pretty lady. Her name is Earthy.

Thinking back on my experiences of asking to take a random person's photo, not only to I take away with me an image of that person, but they often share something of their soul that I take with me, too. And had I not had a camera in my hands, I would have never engaged the conversation that started a relationship. I am always blessed afterwards by that moment when time stopped and I listened to a new voice.

Often people ask me whether or not I take good photographs, sort of in the reference of like at an event "did you take some good photographs, today?" and my answer is alway "Yes, the only bad photograph was the one that I didn't take". Sometimes even a photograph a split second off the moment, even soft and out-of focus on the subject, poorly composed can result in being a good photograph just for the simple sake that it was taken. As a photographer, and this defines my being as well, I had to develop a thick skin and resiliency to not listening to other peoples voices in my head about what is right and wrong about a technically excellent photo or what would "they" think if I asked to take a photo; as I don't care any longer because the moment that I start caring about what others think is the moment that I miss the shot.

Sandy Buller

Another Buller Photograph Used On The Cover Of UnderGround Construction Magazine

Revitalizing the "Old Tried and True Flash Workhorse" METZ 45 CL-4

I recently went to a Professional Photographers Guild of Houston (PPGH) workshop with Mark McCall, M.Photog.Cr., CPP and he was using an old manual flash that I haven't seen since the 1980's. It was the METZ 45 CL-4, an old workhorse of a portable camera flash back then and was only rivalled by maybe the Sunpack 522 and Vivitar 365 flashes.

Mark was very gracious and sharing with his knowledge, and told us how he acquired this flash and how he uses it in the digital world without TTL (actually, that's how we used flashes back before digital, so it isn't anything new, except that one can't control the output from your camera like one can with TTL controlled flash units). I really appreciate how Mark was totaly selfless about sharing what he does as a photographer, how he learned it, special workflow tricks that he figured out from years of experience, and provided encouragement to everyone at all levels of experience. He is one of the World of Photography's greatest resources, so if you ever have a chance to go to one of his workshops, it will be money and time well spent.

So within a week later after the workshop, I am the proud owner of the METZ flash for $100 (via Ebay), a new battery pack $25 (Amazon), and new Pocket-wizard flash cable that fits this METZ flash $82 (Amazon). So for About $210, I got a great off-camera flash that is very powerful, don't know the guide number and really don't care cause it throws alot of light at full power. And this flash has a small 2nd flash in the front of the unit that acts as a fill light when the main flash head is swivelled in the bounce position. There's something that is designed in the flash that regulates the output of the light, too. You got to go to Mark's workshop to hear him explain it cause I can't remember how it does it, all I know is that it does, and really isn't that what matters most - LOL. The actual model numbers / ordering codes are listed below:

• METZ 45 CL-4 (not the digital version as it is over $500)
• PocketWizard 804-414 ME1-6P Electronic Flash Cable (Black)
• Metz MZ 5312 45 Series AA Size Battery Holder (Note, only needed if the METZ flash doesn't have one or is corroded)

These additional items, I already had but I am listing the items for reference:

• Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter
• Manfrotto 118 Male Spigot for 2905 1/4-20-Inch Male and 3/8-Inch Male 26mm Long Adapter
• and a Manfrotto 119 Female Spigot for 026 1/4-Inch 20 Female and 3/8-Inch Female 31mm Long Adapter
• Cheetah Stand C8 - 3 Section Aluminum Light Stand, 29-Inch to 96-Inch Height - Black
• Pocketwizard Plus III
• Ildozine V3 Caddy

2 More Magazine Covers for Underground Construction

As a photographer, to see my photographs being used on the cover of magazines generates a feeling of sincere appreciation of all the people to helped me become a photographer and also to the editor who chooses my work over other images.

Here are two recent covers which my photographs appear on the industrial trade magazine Underground Construction, published monthly by Oildom Publishing Co. of Texas.

Painting With Light

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary - Becky & Peter