I first happened upon this gem last year while at Ace Photo in Ashburn- I can’t remember what I was in there to buy, but the guy who was ringing me up at the register was trying to sell me an additional piece of equipment I had no intention of purchasing. It was this small air blower that looked like a rocket ship, “probably some techie toy,” I thought to myself. Frank, the guy behind the counter, remembered that I’d been in to Ace to have my camera’s sensor cleaned before. “If you buy this $20 air blower, I guarantee you’ll be in here less often for those $99 sensor cleanings.” In order to get him to stop badgering me, I bought the stinkin rocket ship and went on my way.

Sometimes, dust finds its way into your camera body and onto your sensor. When that happens, you get these little black specks or squiggly lines on every. single. photo. And that can means hours in front of your computer PhotoShopping the dust out of every image, if you were unlucky enough not to notice it until you’d shot an entire wedding day (I’ve done that, by the way).

This little red rocket ship has saved me on several occasions! I use it before every wedding and portrait session just to give my sensor a little dusting off. If there are any loose fibers or specks of dust on the sensor, they’ll come right off after I use my air blower- all you have to do is place your camera in Bulb mode, take off the lens, and then hold the shutter open to expose the sensor- then hold your camera so it’s pointed toward the ground and squeeze the blower into the open camera body. Any loose dust will fall right out.

This puppy comes in my ThinkTank with me to all of my shoots, just in case I end up getting dust on the sensor throughout the course of the shoot/wedding day. Extreme dust and gunk on my sensor will still require I take it in for cleaning (because I’m too scared to learn to clean it myself), but this air blower is a super easy quick fix that’s worked every time I’ve used it.

So let’s do a giveaway! I’ll send one of these sweet red rocket ships to one of you guys- all you have to do is a leave a comment on this post and tell me what you’ve got planned for the weekend. And go!

My favorite wedding-day knick knack

July 5, 2013

  1. Samantha says:

    I’m spending my weekend in the sun, sand, and surf at Hilton head island!

  2. This looks like a super handy tool! My weekend is going to be spent taking my handsome fiance on a surprise date tonight, and then venturing this weekend to Winchester and then West Virginia to see friends we haven’t seen in a long time 🙂

  3. Taylor A says:

    This weekend I’ll be meeting with a possible DJ for our wedding, and going to look at houses again with my fiance! No photo shoots this weekend.

  4. Planning on spending this weekend helping my mother-in-law unpack in her new home (and taking lots of swim breaks in her pool!) Annnd that looks like a handy tool to have!

  5. Laura says:

    Spending the weekend at home. Nothing big planned which is nice for a change!

  6. Rachel says:

    My husband and I will be roadtripping around eastern Iowa this weekend – tonight we’re going to a drive-in movie theater (ahhh, they’re so fun!) :), tomorrow I’ll be photographing a wedding in Iowa City, and Sunday we’re back at our home church.

  7. Taking the weekend off from editing to spend my one year wedding anniversary with my husband 🙂

  8. If I’m lucky I’ll be painting our master bathroom and giving it a much needed make-over. The hardest part is picking out a paint color!

  9. Alison Snead says:

    Relaxing for most of the weekend (I can hope right?) and letting my little one play in her little swimming pool 🙂

  10. Ashley S says:

    Would love this, Abby! I’ll be shooting a backyard wedding on the river in St. Augustine, Florida and making an IKEA run on Sunday for my new studio! xoxo

  11. Desiree says:

    We’re having a quiet weekend at home working on our back yard makeover & landscaping!

  12. Kristen Thomas says:

    Spending the weekend working on the to-do list and things around the house. Cleaning to prep for family coming into town

  13. Minh H. says:

    What a cute little gadget! Even if I don’t win it, I’ll look into getting one.
    This week end, no shoot planned, so I’ll get to practice shooting with glow lights and black lights as the only light sources. I’m unsure about that, and I have an event coming up…

  14. Joey says:

    I agree one of these are a must have.

  15. Spending the weekend with my little girl! We are taking her to our local drive-in movie theater to see Monster’s University and then off to the Lake on Sunday after church (if the rain hold off!).

  16. I need one of these! I’ll be spending the weekend at two BBQ’s and shooting two portrait sessions!

  17. Jean says:

    A neat little gadget! That would work on my sewing machine! Hope you have a great weekend. We had a nice visit with your brother.

  18. I could absolutely use one of these! I’m shooting a wedding tomorrow and then on Sunday I’m relaxing with my husband and our new puppy!

  19. Kristie says:

    Wow, I def need this now! This weekend I am going to a baseball game with my cousin.

  20. Sarah says:

    That’s awesome! Some of my friends from Mason are visiting me and we’ll be spending the weekend at the beach 🙂

  21. Tori Watson says:

    i’m off to shoot a wedding today, but tomorrow i’m excited to have a saturday off to spend with aaron & his parents (who are in town visiting) – maybe including some thrift store shopping or painting more of our house. 🙂

    love this & definitely need one of these little rocket ships!

  22. Rachel Wells says:

    I’m spending time with family from out of town, and Sunday I’m heading your way! 🙂

  23. Clara says:

    My husband is working this weekend, so I will be staying home and finishing up editing a wedding. 🙂

  24. Meredith VanWagner says:

    My husband’s job relocated us to Memphis, TN in May so this weekend we are thrilled to have my family come for their first visit from Richmond and DC. My husband is picking up the last of them from the airport RIGHT NOW!!!! So Blues and BBQ are on the agenda for the weekend!

  25. I’ll be spending the weekend with my hubby and daughter, relaxing and enjoying time off. I’ll also be culling and editing an engagement session. 🙂

  26. Amanda B. says:

    Catch up on a little editing (working on a wedding), and spending some quality time with my husband! 🙂

  27. Ashlee says:

    My husband and I are visiting family and friends in Minot, North Dakota this week/weekend!

  28. Lauren Jolly says:

    I’m actually really excited for this weekend! A couple friends of mine are shooting a “love” video of Vaughan (my fiance) and me!! Then on Sunday, I have a photo shoot for the videographer’s website photos. Yay! I’ll have my fingers crossed all weekend for this giveaway 🙂

  29. Bonnie H says:

    Now I know what that black speck is on my photos…guess I need that red rocket!!! Will be heading to the casino tonight then on to a cook-out tomorrow!!!

  30. Tina says:

    OOh I’ve been meaning to pick up one of these bad boys! Ya never know! I’m planning on making a day trip into NYC to finally walk across the brooklyn bridge 🙂

  31. I’ve definitely had my eye on one of these for awhile! My plans this weekend consist of second shooting a wedding on Saturday and then resting and spending time with my hubby on Sunday! Thanks for the giveaway Abby! =)

  32. Allison Joy says:

    My family is taking a day trip to Washington Island, right off of Door County, WI!

  33. What a fun gadget! This weekend, I’ll be spending tomorrow with my Matt and then shooting a fun bridal session at CNU! Hope you have a lovely weekend, too! 🙂

  34. Mia Bjerring says:

    This just look and sound like a rocket life saver! I hate when dust finds its way to the sensor! So annoying to have to photoshop it out of the photos!
    I’m going to a graduation party this weekend tomorrow actually! My cousin and her boyfriend graduated and now it’s time to celebrate their new found freedom until September lol and then on Sunday we are having some company over for dinner so that will be nice 🙂 What do you have planned for this weekend? I hope it’s something fun! Happy Friday, Abby!

  35. Holly says:

    We are spending the weekend with family and our new(ish) little boy!

  36. Aubrey says:

    Editing and being inspired by pros like you. 🙂

  37. Deanna says:

    Driving to Stanton for a wedding!

  38. Lisa Agnew says:

    Shooting a wedding on Saturday, off to the city to pick up a new Nikon body and then some relaxing family time on the boat…let’s hope we can fit that all in!

  39. Our anniversary is Monday, so we’re having a date night, which I think will involve berry picking.

  40. Ashlyn says:

    So Saturdays’ almost over, but I taught a piano lesson, went to the store and I’m going to go workout & practice piano. 🙂 then tomorrow is church. We were busy Wednesday-Friday so we’re taking the weekend slower 🙂

  41. Sarah H. says:

    We went to Austria for the weekend! 😀

  42. Is it too late to enter? This past weekend I finished editing a newborn session and shot an engagement session; this coming weekend shooting a wedding!

  43. Megan McGee says:

    Abby, I would absolutely love this, a perfect little knick-knack for my bag!

  44. Megan McGee says:

    and this weekend we spent family time inside while in poured all weekend, played games, watched movies and spent quality family time together, much needed too!

  45. Tammy says:

    Spent the weekend camping at bass River NJ and hanging out out the beach on Long Beach Island! Great time spent with great friends.

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