Photography Discussion Thread

[FaM]

Since some folks get cranky in the "im proud of this photo" thread when people want to discuss photos instead of every new post being photos. I think we need our own thread to post photos and BS\Discuss. Talk about what you want! I totally want to discuss lighting setups, ideas, cameras, and look at other peoples photos and talk about them.


Ill start it off with a couple shots from this weekend of the mini clones

P4231296 by -FaM-, on Flickr

P4231204 by -FaM-, on Flickr
Honestly I have no clue why she's smelling a plastic egg...I guess my insanity is genetic.

[FaM]

Anyone use any storefronts to upload their photos too so customers order their product on the site and that pro photo lab writes you a check for your %?


Only one that seems to be professional with nice layouts is http://www.millerslab.com/ and its like 15 dollars a month or something. Just curious.

[damien666]

hi fam

i would like peoples views on these images i took i posted them in the "im proud of this photo" thread so ill post here to get comments and help also

[Iggyblack]

Originally Posted by damien666

hi fam

i would like peoples views on these images i took i posted them in the "im proud of this photo" thread so ill post here to get comments and help also

here's my thoughts on the pictures damien, hope you dont mind.

1. harsh shadows

2. that's a no-no damien, never take a picture like that because she looks like as if she has no neck haha.
when you take a sofa picture you have to make sure she shows her neck, otherwise it just looks slouchy.

3. that's pretty good, would be better if you had used a reflector to fill some of the dark spots on her face.

4. good photo as well, could be better with reflector.

5. good photo!

6. good photo as well.

7. good photo, though i would;ve liked to see the rest of her leg. and maybe a reflector for the neck shadows.

8. great photo!

9. pretty good as well.

10. also good!

11. too much camera tilt haha(well at least to me)

12. good photo, though the grass did invade the picture a bit too much.

[damien666]

Originally Posted by igorcankickyou

here's my thoughts on the pictures damien, hope you dont mind.

1. harsh shadows

2. that's a no-no damien, never take a picture like that because she looks like as if she has no neck haha.
when you take a sofa picture you have to make sure she shows her neck, otherwise it just looks slouchy.

3. that's pretty good, would be better if you had used a reflector to fill some of the dark spots on her face.

4. good photo as well, could be better with reflector.

5. good photo!

6. good photo as well.

7. good photo, though i would;ve liked to see the rest of her leg. and maybe a reflector for the neck shadows.

8. great photo!

9. pretty good as well.

10. also good!

11. too much camera tilt haha(well at least to me)

12. good photo, though the grass did invade the picture a bit too much.

no i dont mind at all im learnign so all comments welcome.. ok lets see

1. yes im strugling with my equiptment. i use 2x70cm umbrella softboxes and i dont think their are very good. i think ill get a large real softbox next as i dont like these umbrella the light curves from them
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

2. hmm i see what u mean now, i have a few more i took ill maybe sort them soon. i took 195 photos lol she loved it

3. i agree after you said that, i have a 5in1 one but ive not used it as of yet ill have to start.. i need a stand to clamp it too me thinks

4/5/6. i was trying to go for the <3 shape with her arms without making her look weird i think i did ok

7. yes agreed she was spinning when i got that.. i told her to spin to loosen up it worked lol.. anyhow the feet were all over the place and sort weird looking so cropped

8/9/10. are my fav i love 9 it made the day worth while

11. yes agreed i was looking for the weird angle to mate it more interesting

12. im not sure about glasses here also




thankyou, i think ill start using reflector more

[damien666]

@fam i like the first one its look likes shes upto no good lol.. cheeky almost.. is it all natural light ?

[FaM]

Both my kids are evil...I have some funny ones of my son running where youd think he was being chased by a vicious dog Ill post later...

lighting is just natural light (sitting by a window) from the side and just plain old ambient light from the kitchen above (non florescent).



As far as your shots I like this batch better (even though I dig white chicks this model is cuter than your other batch if you did the multiple model shoot that just got posted..if it wasnt you nevermind). Mind you im an idiot but on some of your studio shots I would possible have it a little more rear highlighting lights and a little more light in the front too...but other than that everything looks great...only beef would be your model having her glasses on crooked on one shot and being a little too sun squinty...cant really blame the sun for making too harsh of light but looks minimal and done awesome...If I was a hot chick id pay you for shots...actually...if I was a hot chick id be making money in front of a camera ;-)

[damien666]

Originally Posted by FaM

Both my kids are evil...I have some funny ones of my son running where youd think he was being chased by a vicious dog Ill post later...

lighting is just natural light (sitting by a window) from the side and just plain old ambient light from the kitchen above (non florescent).



As far as your shots I like this batch better (even though I dig white chicks this model is cuter than your other batch if you did the multiple model shoot that just got posted..if it wasnt you nevermind). Mind you im an idiot but on some of your studio shots I would possible have it a little more rear highlighting lights and a little more light in the front too...but other than that everything looks great...only beef would be your model having her glasses on crooked on one shot and being a little too sun squinty...cant really blame the sun for making too harsh of light but looks minimal and done awesome...If I was a hot chick id pay you for shots...actually...if I was a hot chick id be making money in front of a camera ;-)

thankyou mate, yes that was my studio work also. this gal today is a old friend i meet a few times and shes wants to date so if all goes well

[FaM]

You have the fam seal of approval to pursue that path ;-)

[Iggyblack]

when outdoors, reflectors are pretty much all you need. but keep on practicing! you'll get there

right now im working with events/nightclub photography, trying to get the hang of it. heres some photos, not the best but it was my first time haha.


Edit: i removed them because i forgot to save them in web format due to chrome having a different color profile, so pictures look different on chrome vs firefox and such.

[damien666]

Originally Posted by FaM

You have the fam seal of approval to pursue that path ;-)

thanks mate lol... i met her on fb about 3years ago and after about 6months me meet and it went well and then a few more times in the year after then it went quiet for about 2years.. anyhow she seen my other studio stuff and said i she wanted to catch up and it turns out she into me and want a official date and see where it goes

Originally Posted by igorcankickyou

when outdoors, reflectors are pretty much all you need. but keep on practicing! you'll get there

right now im working with events/nightclub photography, trying to get the hang of it. heres some photos, not the best but it was my first time haha.
-snip-

hi mate. i like the last one of the dj quiet alot. can i ask are you using a speed lite or on camera flash?

EDIT why remove them ?

[Iggyblack]

Originally Posted by damien666

thanks mate lol... i met her on fb about 3years ago and after about 6months me meet and it went well and then a few more times in the year after then it went quiet for about 2years.. anyhow she seen my other studio stuff and said i she wanted to catch up and it turns out she into me and want a official date and see where it goes



hi mate. i like the last one of the dj quiet alot. can i ask are you using a speed lite or on camera flash?

EDIT why remove them ?

i removed them because chrome uses a different color profile, so for pics to look the same in firefox/chrome/opera and such i had to resave
them in web format in photoshop. but theyre back up now


and im using a Nikon SB-600, not much but it's working alright for me right now haha.
im looking into studio lighting as i'll be needing it soon, when i start to do more work.

[damien666]

Originally Posted by igorcankickyou

i removed them because chrome uses a different color profile, so for pics to look the same in firefox/chrome/opera and such i had to resave
them in web format in photoshop. but theyre back up now


and im using a Nikon SB-600, not much but it's working alright for me right now haha.
im looking into studio lighting as i'll be needing it soon, when i start to do more work.

a tip.. i have two 300ws lights and i have to use f11-14..iso100...1/160 to get good exposure for studio portraits at lowest power output.. id advise light which can have lower output or get softbox with good defuser. like the ones with inner wall as well

stay away from the umbrella softboxes i have them and the light isnt that good

[Iggyblack]

Originally Posted by damien666

a tip.. i have two 300ws lights and i have to use f11-14..iso100...1/160 to get good exposure for studio portraits at lowest power output.. id advise light which can have lower output or get softbox with good defuser. like the ones with inner wall as well

stay away from the umbrella softboxes i have them and the light isnt that good

yeah i prefer softboxes, im thinking of getting two alienbees softboxes at the end of the year
though im not sure what im doing to do for lighting, i might stick with speedlites or go for real lights.

[FaM]

Thanks to whoever posted that youtube photography one on one lessons link on one of these threads...Ive subscribed and watching those lessons ....I like them a lot.



On a different conversation, as far as equipment is concerned Ill soon be reaching a fork in the road on to continue with my 4/3rds setup or go to Nikon\Canon. Basically I will need to get a good 75-300 lense and if there were ever a time to jump the 4/3 olympus ship it would be soon since my camera body isnt a pro unit anyway though the e-620 isnt hardcore but it really really really has my attention. Wife has a D3000 and although its quick and reliable for autofocus action, i still like my olympus though....so im at a mental standstill.

thoughts?

[Uncle Dude]

FaM: I posted that link - you're welcome. Great stuff, isn't it?


Does anybody know anything about polarizing filters - what to look for - brands etc.? I want to get one for my Canon ef-s 15-85mm. I'll be taking a month-long motorcycle trip covering the entire Western US later this year - lots of big open vistas and clear skies. I don't want to miss the opportunity for some spectacular shots.

[Iggyblack]

Originally Posted by FaM

Thanks to whoever posted that youtube photography one on one lessons link on one of these threads...Ive subscribed and watching those lessons ....I like them a lot.



On a different conversation, as far as equipment is concerned Ill soon be reaching a fork in the road on to continue with my 4/3rds setup or go to Nikon\Canon. Basically I will need to get a good 75-300 lense and if there were ever a time to jump the 4/3 olympus ship it would be soon since my camera body isnt a pro unit anyway though the e-620 isnt hardcore but it really really really has my attention. Wife has a D3000 and although its quick and reliable for autofocus action, i still like my olympus though....so im at a mental standstill.

thoughts?

well how much have you invested in lenses and stuff for your olympus camera?


if you are unsure, you could always go and check out the others (canon, nikon, pentax). though i find that canon and nikon have the best lenses to choose from,
as well as cameras. not talking trash about olympus and i would LOVE my camera to be as weathersealed as the e-3. but olympus does lack in other areas, where
canon and nikon are better. there's sony as well, but i dont like their cameras as theyre way too plasticky until you get to the pro ones, and even then ISO sorta sucks.
not to mention the good lenses for it, are crazy expensive. there's also pentax, but eh haha. i hear bad/good things about them so i can't really say anything about them.


but your best bet is to see if financially wise its a good move to switch, or stay in the olympus camp.

[damien666]

Originally Posted by PCthug

I started a thread exactly like this AGES ago, but it fell in to the abyss at the bottom of the page, so hopefully this one will do better.

Originally Posted by igorcankickyou

yeah i remember that, hopefully this one does better. we need a thread like this.

yes ill keep the thread alive .. im on a steep learning curve at the moment and is always looking for information to help me improve my self,

Originally Posted by FaM

Thanks to whoever posted that youtube photography one on one lessons link on one of these threads...Ive subscribed and watching those lessons ....I like them a lot.



On a different conversation, as far as equipment is concerned Ill soon be reaching a fork in the road on to continue with my 4/3rds setup or go to Nikon\Canon. Basically I will need to get a good 75-300 lense and if there were ever a time to jump the 4/3 olympus ship it would be soon since my camera body isnt a pro unit anyway though the e-620 isnt hardcore but it really really really has my attention. Wife has a D3000 and although its quick and reliable for autofocus action, i still like my olympus though....so im at a mental standstill.

thoughts?

i think if you moving to a longer lens like a 75-300 then maybe a nikon/canon is the better option. i have played with a 4/3rds and i like them but i much prefer the dslr cameras.. i would say go canon as im not a fan of nikon lenses but seen as ur miss had a d3000 then it would be the better choice cus you can buy her a lens for xmas and use it as well

Originally Posted by Uncle Dude

FaM: I posted that link - you're welcome. Great stuff, isn't it?


Does anybody know anything about polarizing filters - what to look for - brands etc.? I want to get one for my Canon ef-s 15-85mm. I'll be taking a month-long motorcycle trip covering the entire Western US later this year - lots of big open vistas and clear skies. I don't want to miss the opportunity for some spectacular shots.

i have used a few of them mate... i find that their all the same or their abouts.. i have used the circular ones only their are a few types.. i have a hoya and a cheep £8.99 ebay no banded one and their exactly the same interms of performance so i would say ebay a cheapish one... BUT if you intend to buy ND filters then i would highly recommend buying good brands as ive tried alot of types and some are awful and leave green/colour tingers to the images

[FaM]

Well ive invested in the wifes nikon more so than me...Im just getting started and I expect to use a mid range before I get the pro $1k+ camera bodies. Whats funny is I bought me e-410 and the 2 stock lenses for a whopping 250 bucks last year...I practically have nothing invested and could easily get that back out of it (thanks craigslist)....in fact the $400 75-300 lens would be 150% more than my camera costs me...and when I compared the nikon equivalent it was about 100 bucks cheaper so thats why Im more prepared to switch. A little over a year ago I was about to buy a sony alpha or a d3000\d5000 when the craigslist deal came up that I couldnt pass.

I do like the olympus colors are more accurate and natural but the AF is not the smartest and in low light it hates me and the lens are $$$$ with very little selection..
I guess if I go nikon and cost is a factor...should I go with an older used model with less MP and higher end vs a mid entry like a d5000?

Thanks,

[Iggyblack]

Originally Posted by FaM

Well ive invested in the wifes nikon more so than me...Im just getting started and I expect to use a mid range before I get the pro $1k+ camera bodies. Whats funny is I bought me e-410 and the 2 stock lenses for a whopping 250 bucks last year...I practically have nothing invested and could easily get that back out of it (thanks craigslist)....in fact the $400 75-300 lens would be 150% more than my camera costs me...and when I compared the nikon equivalent it was about 100 bucks cheaper so thats why Im more prepared to switch. A little over a year ago I was about to buy a sony alpha or a d3000\d5000 when the craigslist deal came up that I couldnt pass.

I do like the olympus colors are more accurate and natural but the AF is not the smartest and in low light it hates me and the lens are $$$$ with very little selection..
I guess if I go nikon and cost is a factor...should I go with an older used model with less MP and higher end vs a mid entry like a d5000?

Thanks,

if you go Nikon, get a used D90. there's no other camera that's matches it for price/performance. it has built in focusing, so you can use other lenses like the 50mm 1.8 wich wont autofocus
on entry level dslr's like your wife's D3000, and it's an all around GREAT camera. trust me, there is no point in buying a anything less than a D90 because soon you'll be wanting more.
i went from a D40 to a D5000 and now im on a D300.


if you do go nikon, i recommend the 18-55mm VR(yes it's a kit lens, but its pretty sharp) 50mm 1.8/1.4(depends on wich you like better) and 70-300mm VR.

[FaM]

On amazon the body is 660 used and 379 for the 70-300VR used...grand total of 1039 dollars. Not too bad at all.

[Iggyblack]

Originally Posted by FaM

On amazon the body is 660 used and 379 for the 70-300VR used...grand total of 1039 dollars. Not too bad at all.

if you're going to buy used, i suggest you either buy locally from craigslist or from these sites:

usedcameras.com
adorama.com
www.keh.com


here's a D90 for $617
http://www.usedcameras.com/ProductDe...uctCode=163409


and if you dont mind spending a bit more, here's a D300:
http://www.usedcameras.com/ProductDe...uctCode=159806

[FaM]

lol we need to be on page 2 asap this is getting hella big to load on a phone browser...

VICTORY!!!

[damien666]

Originally Posted by FaM

lol we need to be on page 2 asap this is getting hella big to load on a phone browser...

VICTORY!!!

i turn pictures off on the phone browser unless someone comments on one then i reload with them

ps ive been looking at alot of my studio work and now people have pointed it out i have been going for the low key lighting side of thing but been failing as ive been using light backgrounds.. so it looks like i have alot of black shadows ect.. im going to take aload of studio shots and try to eliminate all shadows for the next few attempt's

[weston]

any thoughts on cheap studio lighting? here is a kit with 3 180W monolights with stands, softboxes, umbrellas, barndoor and filters, wireless trigger, all for $270!

Obviously this wouldn't rival high end equipment, but would it work to get started?