Benchmade Stryker 910

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: It's pretty.

The Long Version: There are plenty of good reasons to buy a knife. Solid construction, quality steel, natural balance, strong lock, great design, reputable maker - those are all valid reasons. Buying it because it's pretty probably isn't one of the better reasons, so it's a good thing that the Benchmade Stryker has those other reasons, too.

The practical stuff is that the Stryker has fiberglass-composite scales and titanium liners, one of which provides the locking mechanism. My pre-2006 blade is 154CM, which is the same as ATS34, and is an excellent steel for working knives. The pocket clip is a darkened steel that attaches at the pivot end of the knife; the 'thumb stud' is actually a disk that's easier to use and doesn't snag the way my Cold Steel studs do. It's beautifully made, opens smoothly, and is comfortable to hold and use. It's also the only work knife that I use that I haven't cut myself with - my 4" Benchmade AFCK is the leader in that particular contest.

Compared to its AFCK sibling, the Stryker has a blunter butt - I've always wanted to say that - which is much friendlier to pockets. I'm still not completely sold on the mis-named 'tanto' blade design, but I do like the secondary point that it provides, and the Stryker still has a very fine point. My only real complaint about the 4" 910 model is that it's four inches long - a touch too large for normal use in front of mixed company. While this is a great size for utility and general work, these days I'm finding that 3" knives are more practical over all. But if I could only have one knife, this would be the one.

And it's easily the prettiest knife I own.

The Elements of Graphic Design, by Alex W. White

Concept: 3 out of 5
Execution: 4 out of 5
Yeah, but: It's more esoteric than eclectic.

The Long Version: With the full name of The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type, this book by Alex White doesn't hesitate to let you know what its four section titles are. (Hint: the first one is "Space".) Published in 2002 by Allworth Press of New York, it's a book that's slim enough to carry easily and substantial enough to be worth having nearby.

The endpapers have repeating hand-drawn images of pitch forks and shovels on them. On the next page, all is explained with a caption that notes: "The functional difference between a shovel and a pitchfork is the metal that is missing." The emphasis on missing is key, because the role and use of white space is the underlying theme of the book.

The Elements of Graphic Design follows a pattern of samples and examples on the right-hand page, with captions, quotes, and occasionally additional small images next to the body text on the right. The total effect is a dense layering of information, and I was amazed at just how much time I spent on each page. I would read, look at the samples, read some more, ponder, and repeat. It's the book that led me to finally redesign my business cards and website, and while I had the basic idea of the format already, Alex White's writing about the use of space and boundaries are what gave me the final push. It was a productive month.

What I do have a hard time with is deciding who this book is for. It's too dense and elaborate to be an introduction, but not elaborate enough to be a stand-alone textbook; it deals too much with fundamentals to be an advanced designer's guide, but presumes too much knowledge to be accessible to complete beginners. Perhaps it finds its niche (rhymes with quiche) as a remedial source of inspiration for the professional, as well as being appealing to the enthusiastic amateur. I'd consider myself one of the latter, and have found The Elements of Graphic Design very useful. If you're someone who reads reviews of books on graphic design for entertainment, then perhaps it'll be useful for you, too.

LumoPro 606 Light Stand & 633 Umbrella Swivel

Concept: 2 out of 5 (Nothing original about light stands)
Execution: 3 out of 5
Yeah, but: Affordable Quality is rare but it DOES exist

The Long Version: Less than a year ago my lighting accessories consisted of a rain umbrella modified with a can of white Krylon spray paint and a bunch of microphone stand and boom parts cobbed together.
It worked, but using it was a pain and letting other photographers see my rig was embarrassing.
The stand was too short, didn't collapse into an easily-transported size, and liked to tip over if someone breathed heavily.

For yours truly's birthday my girlfriend dug out her credit card and told me to call up the pertinent web pages for what I wanted.
I clicked twice on the Midwest Photo Exchange (MPEX) banner atop The Strobist blog and within a few minutes my new toys were on the way.

My choice of light stand was the LP606, an economy model 8' air-cushioned 4-section stand that retails for around $30.
Impact also makes an 8' stand in the same price range, but the air-cushioned feature of the LumoPro appealed to me.
I even asked about both in a discussion thread at the Strobist Flickr Group, and while Impact took an early lead the LP soon prevailed.
Interestingly, Moishe (the head guy at MPEX) even left his thoughts, which tipped the scales both for brand and supplier.
When you go the extra mile to help educate your potential customers (and those of your competition!) I notice and appreciate the great service.
MPEX didn't disappoint--it was a painless order with full tracking of the shipment and sturdy packaging.

I like the wide spread of the legs for stability, and the reversed middle locking collar (2nd photo) is a nice touch that keeps everything from being jammed together in finger-confusion, so setup is easier.
The air-cushioned feature is great--if you forget to tighten a segment, your flash won't come sliding down to end with a jolt. In fact, it takes a few seconds to fully collapse the stand as you fight the air pressure.

The LP622 umbrella swivel/flash mount is better than many I have seen, and is also worth the $18 charged.
Very solid construction.
There are a few on the market that are more compact, to get the flash head an extra half-inch closer to the centerline of the umbrella, but they are hard to find.
I like how the cold-shoe has a big groove under the flash's foot, which eliminates the chance of a short-circuit or the need for tape as an insulator.
It holds my flash tightly.
The big swivel knob has both a spring and large detents on the mating surfaces, so it only takes half a turn to loosen it enough to adjust the angle, yet if you forget to tighten the knob again it will usually hold position.
Nice touch!

I haven't owned or even played with any other brands of light stand or umbrella swivel, but I have read many complaints about some of them and their various features as well as looked at pictures of them from all possible angles.
As someone who understands form and function and construction in mechanical devices I feel like I got exceptional equipment for the price.

My photographic style dictates travelling light and compact on the rare occasions that I take flash equipment out of the house, and both of these LumoPro products fit my needs perfectly.
On the other hand, a busy professional's preferences might lean towards extreme durability and size. There are certainly stands that fit their needs but at prices I'll never be able to justify.

This stuff does the job for little money, and I have really enjoyed using them.
Thumbs-Up! to LumoPro and Midwest Photo Exchange.