Billy Crystal

Winter is coming.

It was my first attempt at getting comedy legend Billy Crystal, as he left the theater after the second show on a double taping day. I knew it would be tricky.  

Billy turned out okay, but despite extensive massaging of shadow, contrast, etc, the gum is faint and amorphous at best. For a website called CelebriGum, this is a problem. Although I limped through the last couple winters, this year I decided to make a bold move. How bold? $8.77 bold. (Plus shipping bold.)

Meet the new CelebriGum wintertime light:

It's a clip-on LED light powered by three AAA batteries. Sure, its sinuous flex stalk and pearlescent glow are sexy, but can it get the job done?

Let's look at the test shots.

Without the light. Terrible.    

With the light, same settings and levels. A subtle yet huge improvement: The gum is clearly visible, but the ledge is not blindingly over-lit. Interesting bluish cast contrasting with the greenish tint of the street. We can work with this. 

Winter is coming, but we're going to get through it.