Janice Sullivan

Fine Art, Landscape, Still Life & Macro | Last Updated: April 19, 2021

Hello! My name is Janice Sullivan and I am a Fine Art Macro and Landscape photographer. My passion has always been to observe everything at an up-close level—one would think I would have been a scientist! Also, I just can’t get enough sunsets in my life so I road trip and hike a lot and my camera is always with me.

You may have seen my work in Popular Photography, Outdoor Photography, Nik Software (review), in a variety of newsletters and online articles, and in many hotels and restaurants in the United States and Canada. I now mentor Macro and Landscape photographers and I enjoy every minute of it! One of the fun things we love to talk about is equipment!

I’m a Canon girl and I just love the full-frame Canon 5d’s. Being a Macro shooter, I can’t stand my work being cropped in any way, so the 5D’s are perfect for me. I shoot a lot of studio Macro work and this is where I use my Speedotron 2403CX 3-CC Head 2400Ws Flash Kit (120VAC) Black Line. I use grids and snoots most of the time and will add gels to them when I want to change up the color of the lights. It’s a challenge for me to play with light. I love working with plexiglass and other fun tools to get what I’m looking for in my subjects.

I use my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens with a Canon EF 25 II Extension Tube for EOS Digital Cameras to get up really close. I also like to use my Vello Macrofier Reverse Mount Adapter to get even closer to the subjects. I always lock the mirror on my Canon 5D Mark III DSLR Camera and use my Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote Controller to make sure I have the sharpest focal point possible.

The Novoflex Focusing Rack with MC MiniConnect is a must for these shots since there is such a small depth-of-field. It really helps me get the focus locations just right. To stack my work I use Helicon Focus to merge the images together and when I use this equipment it makes it easier to get the sharpest image possible on my main subject.

I also really enjoy being outdoors and I will take my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens everywhere I go! I bring my Natural Cylinder Spray Bottle – 2oz filled with water if I want to add some water-drops effects to the subject.

I’ll add a Canon 58 PL-C B 58mm Circular Filter (polarizer) when I want some added pop or if the subject has a lot of glare, and I’ll use my Canon MR-14EX II Macro Ring Lite Flash for some added lighting drama or if the subject is moving fast and I need to stop the motion. Sometimes I just want to get close and compress the focal point so I’ll grab my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens.

Once the sun goes down the Landscape photographer wakes up in me and my Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens and Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens go into action. I was told by many that there are so many Landscape photographers out there that you’ll never get anywhere with it. Did I care? No! I grab my equipment and head out for locations that I want to feel and make that moment happen with my camera.

I shoot my landscapes in HDR using my Manfrotto 3021BPRO Professional Tripod with Manfrotto 488RC0 Mini Ball Head with RC0 Rapid Connect. I love my tripod and ball head because I can get really low to the ground and it’s heavy. I keep saying I’m going to buy another tripod but I love mine so much, so why should I?

I also use a GorillaPod Focus Flexible Tripod, Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote Controller and enjoy the moment while the camera shoots away. I can set my remote to go off when I want it to and also change my HDR settings. I also use my Lee 10stop filter if I want to slow down my shutter speed to get the soft water shots in my work if the polarizer isn’t working for me.

Taking time to know your equipment will make it easier for you to enjoy the beauty of photography. Well, for me at least it does. ;)

My equipment

Camera & Lenses

Canon 5D Mark III DSLR Camera
Canon 5D DSLR Camera
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens
Canon EF 25 II Extension Tube for EOS Digital Cameras
Vello Macrofier Reverse Mount Adapter and Extension Tube for Canon EF/EF-S Lenses – get closer adding any lens
Canon Angle Finder C – Love this when my camera is down low.
Kipon Canon EOS Camera Body to 58mm Lens Filter Thread Macro Reversing Adapter – Play with Macro without a Macro lens (examples)

Lighting

Speedotron 2403CX 3-CC Head 2400Ws Flash Kit (120VAC)
Canon MR-14EX II Macro Ring Lite Flash
Speedotron Universal Snoot for 7″ Light Reflectors – Snoots are better to direct light for Macro work.
Speedotron Honeycomb Grid Set of 4 – 7″, 10, 20, 30, 40 Degrees – Again narrowing in the light with degrees
Pro Gel Vivid Colors Filter Pack 12 x 12
Sigma EF-500 DG ST E-TTL Shoe Mount Flash (Guide No. 165’/50 m at 105mm) for Canon EOS with E-TTL II
Impact Strobros Snoot for On-Camera Flash (Version II)
Canon Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2
Impact Collapsible Circular Reflector Disc – Soft Gold/White – 12″
2 PocketWizard MultiMAX Transceiver, Remote Control Radio Slave. #802-450
3 Avenger High 8.2′ Alu-Baby 25 Stand with One Lazy Leg / 5/8″ Mounting Stud, 2 Riser, 3 Sections, Black Aluminum
Manfrotto 026 Swivel Lite-Tite Umbrella Adapter with shoe mount for flash and snoot
Sekonic L-558R DualMaster, Digital Ambient & Flash Meter with Transmitter Module
MAGLITE ML300L LED FLASHLIGHT – I really enjoy painting with light and the flashlight it my tool for that.
Streamlight Flashlights: Stinger With AC DC Charger 75014 – these last forever
STREAMLIGHT STRION HL – Perfect small flashllight

Other Essentials

Novoflex Focusing Rack with MC MiniConnect
Manfrotto 3021BPRO Professional Tripod with Manfrotto 488RCO Mini Ball Head with RC0 Rapid Connect
Canon TC-80N3 Timer Remote Controller
Third hand with magnifier, steel and glass, 2x power, 2-1/2-inch diameter magnifying lens. – Great for Macro
GorillaPod Focus Flexible Tripod
Canon 58 PL-C B 58mm Circular Filter Polarizer
Canon 77mm Circular Polarizing Filter
SanDisk 12GB Extreme PRO CompactFlash
SanDisk 64GB Extreme PRO CompactFlash
3.2” LCD Viewfinder 3:2 2.8x Magnifier Eyecup Extender V-finder Universal for Canon 5D Mark III – help see outdoors
LaCie Rugged v2 – 2TB Thunderbolt & USB 3.0
Wimberley PP-200 Plamp II – perfect to hold reflectors or macro subjects.
StudioPRO Lighting Stand Clamp with Flexible Arm for Photography Photo Studio Accessories and Equipment – to help hold reflectors – white boards – black boards
Craftsman 4 Way Screwdriver – perfect to screw in tripod clamps, heads, etc.
Generix Pro-Pads – soft lint free wipes – To clean anything dusty before I shoot
Giottos AA1900 Rocket Air Blaster Large – Black
Coco – my chocolate poodle. She’s in my videos and my happy tool!

Other Equipment not in the main image.

24″ x 24″ – 1/4″ Black Acrylic Plexiglass Sheet, Opaque 0%
Falken Design WT3015-1-4/2424 Acrylic White Sheet, Opaque, 24″ x 24″, 1/4″ Thick
Phantom 4 drone – new to my work.
9.7-inch iPad Pro
Natural Cylinder Spray Bottles – 2 oz
Photek 24″ Digital Lighthouse (24x24x36″) – an awesome softbox for Macro and Close-up photographing
Kata HB-205 GDC Hiker Backpack
iPhone 7s
7.5″ Mini Tripod with Phone Holder for iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6S, 6 Plus 6S, 6, Galaxy Note 5, S7, S6

This is a lot of equipment and I don’t use everything at once. It really depends on the subjects I’m photographing and the conditions I need to work with as I play “the figure out game” of grabbing the shot I have in my mind.

Thanks Mark for the opportunity to share my love of equipment — forget the diamonds! A good cut of glass (lens) is my diamond!!

www.sullivanjphotography.com