Digital Ninja® 8/24/20 Digital Ninja® 8/24/20

Big Sur, CA

It takes roughly 5 hours from Los Angeles to get to Treebones Resort in Big Sur. This trip was planned about a month ago.

THE DRIVE TO BIG SUR

It takes roughly 5 hours from Los Angeles to get to Treebones Resort in Big Sur. This trip was planned about a month ago. There was a notification about an opening for a two day stay. It was a very fortunate series of events, because they are booked until next year. With Covid-19, a household with Leukemia & Asthmatics, the last 5 months had us cooped up in the house. This was a welcome break at a fairly secluded resort and in an uncrowded area. Big Sur was a place that was always on the list.

We left on Monday morning around 9am. We were lucky and didn’t hit any real traffic. We stopped for lunch in Cambria, https://www.digitalninja.us/blog/2020/8/21/robins-restuarant You can read about that if you click on the link.

It had been a while since we had driven so far. A 5 hour drive isn’t that far, but it can be if you’re not used to it or haven’t done it in a while. Maybe we were just charmed from the outset?

The California cliffs are rocky but pretty awesome.

A lot of the coast looks awesome with the cliffs, but after a while one spot looks like the next. It’s a rocky coastline with crashing waves. Plus, we really wanted to get to the resort. Back in the day, we used to drive up and down the East Coast.-10 hour drives from Florida up to Maryland. This 5 hour drive wasn’t all that bad.

It’s a single lane sometimes on the way up. You can get caught behind some slow moving vehicles. Hopefully they’re cool enough and pull off on the turn-outs. Then you and the long caravan following behind you can pass.

Digital Ninja® 11/21/18 Digital Ninja® 11/21/18

The Digital Ninja® 3 Point Quick-Clip, Mini-Light Kit

The Aputure AL-M9 LED Light is an older model, rechargeable, lightweight, and pocketable light source. It is extremely bright, considering it's size. With some key accessories, you can build an exceptionally powerful little kit, enabling you to move faster & lighter.

The M9 debuted 2 years ago and was an extremely sought after light because of it's versatility, features, and price point. These days you can pick up a brand new one for around $45. Aputure's latest model the MX, is priced at $145. For the price of the MX, you could get (3) M9's. There are other mini LED models similar to the M9, but the copycats don't measure up in build quality. If you are looking for a solid mini-kit, pay the extra money for the Aputure brand. They are worth it.

The M9's are definitely my favorite lights (that I own) because of their size and amount of light they output. They also come in handy for special lighting scenarios where a mini light source is necessary. One of my favorite things about them too, is the package they come in. A case is included and there is room for some extras. I had some left over gels and made a series of gel kits for them. The magnetic face plate makes it easy to switch to any color I want.

M9 mounted on Ball-Head Clip (with Anker PowerCore & Powerline Cable)

The lights, by themselves, last about 1hr 30min on high. Initially I went and bought 6 ft. cables and power adapters to keep them plugged in and charging if I was ever near outlets. Later, I found the Anker PowerCore 10000 battery packs which were roughly the same size as the LED's. I got some Velcro and married the battery packs to the lights. I then purchased some 1ft. cables to make the kit look really clean and professional. With the battery packs and lights connected, I can run these lights all day. I make sure to turn them off when not in use and have them charging during meal breaks.

I enjoy keeping my gear nimble and the cases that come with the lights- they help keep everything organized. I'm able to stash the 1 ft. cables and gel kits in the cases, then I attach the longer cables to the included carabiners. The batteries pack easily. The clips are the only unruly pieces, but will still fit in a regular sized bag or backpack. Sometimes I just attach the clips to a strap on the outside. This mini-kit allows me to get into almost any room quickly and utilize a 3pt light set-up. The clips also make pretty good stands if I am able to place them on a flat surface.

Be warned: These won't illuminate an entire room, but they will definitely help you in low light situations. The M9's really shine as fill lights, catch lights, and hair lights, and also for interviews, headshots, 2 shots, and talking head scenarios. This light has been aptly named the "Swiss Army Light". This is the kit I leave the house with when I think I might need a bit of light help.

- Aputure AL-M9 LED Light $45

- Anker PowerCore 10000 $26

- Anker 1ft. PowerLine Cable $6

- 1/4" Ball-head Clip $9

*I wouldn't skimp on the cables. Anker makes solid cables & you don't want cheap cables in-between your batteries and lights!

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my Digital Ninja® 3 Point Quick-Clip, Mini-Light Kit. Follow me on Instagram @d1g1tal_n1nja, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalNinja3 or bookmark my website: www.digitalninja.us .

- Digital Ninja®