800 years ago when I was in photography school I got to use the state of the art equipment of the time. Calumet 4x5 cameras with Zeiss lenses, top level lighting equipment, 500 dollar backdrops, really nice film--all that stuff. It was really quite funny when I think back on it. The basic studio set up that we learned studio photography on probably ran upwards of 8 or 9 thousand dollars--probably even more. So we poor college students who were paying 10's of thousands of dollars to get know-how would graduate and no longer have access to the equipment. Its really no wonder actually that when I look at my graduating class that there are only a few of us still even in the business. There were a few lessons that really helped me out...one was finding alternative ways of making expensive effects cheaply. Vaseline was first on the list of things to steal out of mom and dad's bathroom closets--you only needed a little and the idea was to smear it on a piece of clear glass or a skylight filter--this was a cheap diffuser or if you wanted to create a soft vignette--leave the center clear. Nail polish was a more permanent way and once dry didn't get anything else greasy. My favorite story was the day I went out and bough Leggs eggs panty hose. I got white and nude. And then these were part of my camera bag for years. I occasionally had to explain myself when one would fall out. These make great softening affects when placed over the lens. All my years now in newspapers sorta made me forget about this until recently when I was cleaning out an old camera bag and found this old stocking--now over 20 years old(do hose still come in eggs?) Now I have an expensive little filter that does the same thing--but not really--there is more serendipity with the hose as it catches light differently. Its a little weird using it because it makes me seem a little weird--but usually when I show a couple results I win over my subjects(thank you digital photography). Now the trick will be to use it well when its appropriate--I'm going to be doing a few senior portraits soon and I think this might be a nice way to offer a different look to my clients--in the meantime I'll try to work on the best ways to use lighting with this effect--and maybe even use the more expensive filter to look a little more professional---but don't be surprised if you see me pull out and old stocking. SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer.