The Squints

November 23, 2015

It’s been an awesome fall and early winter that’s taken us just about everywhere… from factory floors to tropical beaches. But don’t be fooled, sometimes the most exotic locations turn out to be the toughest shoots, and conversely, a relatively mundane locale can be quite rewarding.

I mention this because the crew and I recently wrapped a lengthy location gig (unfortunately this was one of the tough ones) and to recoup, decided to visit our favorite watering hole, the Fifth Street Brew Pub, in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It was shortly after the first cold beverage was delivered that my longtime friend and fellow road warrior, Jay Herndon, lifted his glass and wearily said, “Here’s to the life of a Squint”.

Now, I’d never heard the term “Squint” before, and it struck me as more than just a little humorous, so I had to ask… “What’s a “Squint”? You may be wondering too.

Well, imagine a camera person as they look through an eyepiece or viewfinder. They close one eye and…. squint. You’re squinting now, aren’t you? Jay also let me know that in his previous life as a military photographer, his commander lovingly called he and the rest of the squadron “Squints”. That’s funny, I don’t care who you are.

With that in mind, I’d like to share with you a few shots that my fellow “Squints” and I captured over the past months. We’ve been using quite an arsenal of gear, including a Sony PDW700, Canon 70D and 6D, a Canon C100, an array of Canon EL lenses, and even an Olympus Micro 4/3 EPL6 with some cool prime glass. I hope you enjoy. I also hope that we’ll have the opportunity to work with some of you on your upcoming projects. Give us a ring, email, or just look for us somewhere out on the road.

Don’t worry, you’ll recognize us. We’re the guys who’ll be… well… squinting.

Until next time.

Ray Monell

therainman@monellcomm.net