OK Cindi... I did it and it's all your fault!!! I ordered a modified version of the digibee kit. I made a few "upgrades". Now I just gotta sit back and wait for it to come in. Care to model for me so I can practice?
OK Cindi... I did it and it's all your fault!!! I ordered a modified version of the digibee kit. I made a few "upgrades". Now I just gotta sit back and wait for it to come in. Care to model for me so I can practice?
Hey, way to go, Lee! I'd come sit for you, but the drive.... and my day job... and the kids.... well, you know. Can't wait to see your first shots.
Okay finally did another attempt this weekend of a gorgeous model. Got some really great photos out of the deal. I'm going to try and post a few today. It sucked that I couldn't get any of them in last months free challenge and can't put them in this months free challenge. I took the photos on Sept. 30th, but i was in boston and couldn't upload them until yesterday......HMPH!!! I like this 10times better than the last ones I took, and I hope you guys like em too.
And received great feedback. Much of the advice was it was too soft, poor lighting, etc.
What is a good wattage bulb to use? I bought a cheap set of stands/32" umbrellas. The bulb wattage (as I looked up last night) is 30 watts.... Is this the reason for the poor lighting or is it still/also the positioning.
Thanks for letting me jump on here....I see I have pages and pages to read tonight....
(as mentioned in my thread...I realize the grave issues of the wrinkled backdrop and the groupshot showing the stand.)
Okay...for my first true outside portraits...here are a couple of photos that i shot last weekend. These are only the first four that I did some touching up to. As always...all comments and critiques are welcome.
Haven't determined if I like the color or B/W better
Okay...for my first true outside portraits...here are a couple of photos that i shot last weekend. These are only the first four that I did some touching up to. As always...all comments and critiques are welcome.
Haven't determined if I like the color or B/W better
Anthony
Anthony, you have got a lovely model, but you need to work on the lighting and background selection. Most of them have too much dof and background is distracting from the subject. Left you comments on individual photos
Anthony, you have got a lovely model, but you need to work on the lighting and background selection. Most of them have too much dof and background is distracting from the subject. Left you comments on individual photos
Problem is, even if you set it on f/2.8 on the s2 IS, you'll still get a WHOLE lot more DOF because the sensor size is so small. Even zoomed into 400mm equivalent, you're only really at about 80-100mm in reality. All that to say, shallow DOF is kind of hard to get on any P&S digital.
I gleaned a lot of good information from this thread and have been trying to put it to some use. I'd really like anyone's serious comments and criticism.
I keep looking at, and wanting to like these two images. But she sure doesn't look comfortable or happy. The pose just looks too .... "strained" or "forced".
Hi Dale. These look much better than your previous shoot with this model. The lighting is much more controlled. I too like the one with the low-key lighting best as the lighting is more directional on that one and the one with the with the green dress. The last one you posted, the one with the hat, the lighting is clean and crisp, but a little flat. You're improving very well.
For the sake of our dial-up friends, please post thumbnails rather than full-sized images in the future. Thanks.
Hey Anthony. Thanks for bumping this thread. I've been thinking about resurecting it because I still see the need for this ongoing conversation based on questions I read in the forums daily. I think the next section will have to do with posing. I'll work on that lesson today.
Does anyone have specific posing questions or posing-related topics you'd like to have addressed?
Just caught up on the whole thread. There is a lot of great advice in here! I'm slowly working on increasing the amount of portraits I take (to the point where I haven't really shot much of anything else in the last month)
I decided to start out just working totally with available light or modified available light, in the hope that once I get that down, I can start adding in more complexity. So my lighting kit currently consists of the Arnold Newman lighting system. Available light - any darn light that's available! I might work up to adding a reflector in some time next year.
Something I didn't notice really discussed is the importance of the background, particularly for non-studio shots. It needs to not compete but the right background can really make the shot sing, compared to a bare wall, or seamless.
Posing questions - I have thousands. I have almost no idea where to start posing a subject, other than I almost have a hard time with the concept of 'posing' - it strikes me as stiff, controlled, unnatural - so I'm looking for a better idea than 'posing' - directing maybe ?
I'd love to hear some more about ways/ tricks/ ideas on connecting quickly with a subject - how to make that connection that gets something of a person into the shot when you've only got 5 minutes to talk to them prior to working. I try to shoot a lot on a tripod, so I can get my head out from behind the camera and talk to the subject. That seems to be better than pointing that big 'ol lump of glass at them and having a disembodied voice echo around it. Would love to hear more thoughts on that too.
Anyway, here's a few of the available light shots I've taken in the last couple of weeks. Comments & suggestions extremely welcome. I also have more about most of these particular shots in my blog
Secondly, the StudioLighting.net podcast, Lightsource, is fantastic. I get more tips from that than anywhere else. Well worth listening to every backissue you can get your hands on. The interviews are awesome.
hey there everyone, I was just reading over all of the advice in this thread, lots of great stuff, anyways my question is I'm looking to setup my own studio and am wondering what i should start with. I have been looking at lights and I would like to get some ABs however they are only sold out of the states and I'm in Canada (brokerage costs) i would really like to get something going before the holidays so any advice on what to start with and recommendations would be of great help.
I was just in henrys and they have a kit on sale that looks good to get started (search for item 369NAD020)
Two Monolights (150 w/s)
Two 7' Light Stands
Two 46" Umbrellas
One Barndoor and Honeycomb and 4 Colour filter kit
One Snoot and Honeycomb and 4 Colour filter kit
One Studio Carrying Case
regular $800 on sale for $650. (and free shipping)
Originally posted by Lee_Mann:
hey there everyone, I was just reading over all of the advice in this thread, lots of great stuff, anyways my question is I'm looking to setup my own studio and am wondering what i should start with. I have been looking at lights and I would like to get some ABs however they are only sold out of the states and I'm in Canada (brokerage costs) i would really like to get something going before the holidays so any advice on what to start with and recommendations would be of great help.
hey there everyone, I was just reading over all of the advice in this thread, lots of great stuff, anyways my question is I'm looking to setup my own studio and am wondering what i should start with. I have been looking at lights and I would like to get some ABs however they are only sold out of the states and I'm in Canada (brokerage costs) i would really like to get something going before the holidays so any advice on what to start with and recommendations would be of great help.
According to their FAQ, AlienBees does sell to customers in Canada. I don't know what you mean by "brokerage costs" though.
Thanks yea i live right near a henry's store and have been in to see those lights i just didn't know if the 120watts would be enough, what types of setups to most people use here? im looking to get into this full time and want something that i can start using for all types of shoots right
Thanks
Originally posted by p3wiz:
I was just in henrys and they have a kit on sale that looks good to get started (search for item 369NAD020)
Two Monolights (150 w/s)
Two 7' Light Stands
Two 46" Umbrellas
One Barndoor and Honeycomb and 4 Colour filter kit
One Snoot and Honeycomb and 4 Colour filter kit
One Studio Carrying Case
regular $800 on sale for $650. (and free shipping)
Originally posted by Lee_Mann:
hey there everyone, I was just reading over all of the advice in this thread, lots of great stuff, anyways my question is I'm looking to setup my own studio and am wondering what i should start with. I have been looking at lights and I would like to get some ABs however they are only sold out of the states and I'm in Canada (brokerage costs) i would really like to get something going before the holidays so any advice on what to start with and recommendations would be of great help.
