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You know you're an amateur when....


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<p>Today I attended an all day Photo Wokshop held at a local professional studio. Everything inside this studio was big and heavy-duty. The hairlight boom was so big I don't think it could even fit in my modest 13X20 home studio. A 36X48 softbox that hung on it, looked tiny in comparison. This thing was big, with thick metal arms that I think I could do a couple chin-ups on. The Reflectors were the size of small walls, unlike my 42" Max reflectors. Of course they were using a couple of 2500WS power packs although we(students) were relegated to the 1200WS power pack. The background was at least 20 feet wide and 15 feet high.<br />No way I could fit that into my set-up at home. For monolights, they used Norman ML400, ML600's and White Lightnings all made from Metal and look like they could withstand anything thrown at them. The light stands and tripods were all Giottos with twist locks, and built thick like tanks. never knew Giotto was into light-stands. Of course the light stands were air-cushioned, but unlike the air-cushioned ones I have at home, these did not sway in the wind.<br />Hanging from the ceiling was a Tungsten Hot-light set up. What they used these lightsfor I don't know. Oh well at least I had my semi-pro Canon 7D although it was outfitted with a pro-summer lens. I just did not feel like lugging an 'L' series lens around today. When I got back home my gear looked so delicate even toy-like in comparison. In any case I was there to learn, not make comparisons, but I sure felt humbled.</p>
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<p>So, by the host/instructor using all this top buck gear to teach you, the hobbyist, how to improve your skills, they may not necessarily have done you or themselves any favors. The idea being-- "you need all this very expensive gear to get results like I get". What was the point of that show-off factor? It would have served you better if they used a set-up representative to what the hobbyist/amateur is more likely to use and own. Honestly, that environment would have been a put-off to me being able to learn anything, or at least as much as I could have.</p>
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<p>the gear is not important.. is what you do with it ; )</p>

<p>you have a similar setup only lighter and less expensive? good. so that mean that you should be able to do what he does, only add more sand bag when it wind.. this is one way of seeing it! Why would he need to downgrade is gear to accomadte student? I dont think it was "this is what you can do with this particular piece of equipment" i think it was more like " this is what you can do with this type of equipment" a beauty dish is a beauty dish.. whatever the cost.</p>

<p>But back to Harry, ... now you know what you can buy if you win the million .. for now, enjoy the show and dream ; )</p>

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<p>Steve, it was in a working professonal studio. Is the person who is instructing supposed to buy cheap equipment just to give a workshop? Harry didn't mention the company of the powerpacks, but Norman and White Lightning monolights are not exactly high end equipment so I don't see it as "top buck gear".</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"you need all this very expensive gear to get results like I get". What was the point of that show-off factor?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Harry didn't say that the instructor had this attitude.</p>

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<p>My last year at RIT, the faculty took a group of us graduating students to NYC for a week to visit studios , 2 or 3 a day. Most were very similar, all had high quailty gear. But one in particular i remember (forgot the name) had one set where they could and were shooting vehicles. That was a huge set, larger than the one you described and I won't even attempt to decribe the huge lighting needed. This studio also had 4 more smaller sets in use. A huge operation. But the bottom line is lighting is lighting, regardless of the size of the subject. The basic principles never change.</p>
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<p>As a pro, I would say that you need to understand the difference between the top quality gear you describe and other options is only that those things let the pro accomplish what they do quicker than maybe more makeshift items that an amateur might use. There isn't necessarily going to be a difference in the quality if both are of equal skill, it is just that the pro can't take as long to accomplish the same thing as the amateur.</p>

<p>On the other hand, the amateur--or even a pro--that doesn't have all the bells and whistles needs to learn to be creative and invent. Along the way, you may learn much more than what the well healed pro will ever discover. Discovery will come with experimentation and if you have "what you need", you may never discover anything new or different--or at least have fewer opportunities to do so.</p>

<p>As photographers we love gear, but it isn't the gear but the product that matters.</p>

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<p>13x20 is not a bad size to work in, but at the same time "modest" is a good word. Even lights normally thought of as small are big when used with small subjects - as others have said, good lighting of smallish subjects can be achieved with quite simple equipment. You will certainly not fit automobiles or groups of 20 people into your studio and photograph them on an 8x10 camera that needs lots of light to work with a small aperture, but that still leaves plenty for you to try!</p>
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I probably never was a real pro based upon my lighting equipment but I did turn acceptable cash flow for several years doing photography. I bought a set of Novatron 240 WS lights about twenty years ago and put them in my studio with plans to upgrade to more substantial lights as I gained business. I gained business by doing weddings and picking up some corporate and portrait work. I shot heads with my cheap Novatrons in my small studio while thinking of upgrading. I kept selling pictures I took with these cheap strobes. The lights were light and easy to move and I took them places to shoot on location. Long story short I never did replace them. I still have them and just recently took them on a job over twenty years after buying them. They still work, and my customer was delighted that I took them to their house. They once again helped collect a nice fee. They have paid for themselves many times over. I have three lights, quality softboxes and a power pack plus a hair light. I have a very large home garage. I wonder if I could do a car?
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<p> Professional equipment is heavy and sturdy, right. As far as stands go, Harry,there is a history from what I know. Gaffers , an occupation in itself, they carry and set up all the lighting stuff, the grips, the flys and the reflectors used by every film crew and TV studio. Union safety rules, long established since the days of D.W.Griffith. " Don't kill the stage hands." Yes, those Avenger C stands, I got one, take up room. And less likely to fall on a hapless portrait subject. . Repairability and longevity another item. <br>

Yah, be humble in your work, good for ya....:-). Which does not diminish those who use and enjoy ghe practical and safe AB line, made by Paul Buff as well as his White Lightning. </p>

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<blockquote>

<p>You know you're an amateur when you attend an all-day photo workshop and the main thing you want to talk about is equipment.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>and not one word about the pro's work hanging in the studio.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>You know you're an amateur when you get to shoot what you want, when you want, the way you want, and the only person you have to please is yourself.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>and are grateful to have the luxury of such freedom and satisfaction.</p>

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<p>Mark Drutz wrote:<br>

<br /> "You know you're an amateur when you get to shoot what you want, when you want, the way you want, and the only person you have to please is yourself."<br>

<br /> Let me correct that for you a bit, it should actually read:<br>

<br /> You know you're an amateur when you get to shoot what you want, when you want when you are not at your day job, the way you want after you do things at home after your day job, and the only person you have to please is yourself, after you answer to those who expect you to bring home a paycheck from your day job.</p>

<p>To add, you know you're a true professional when you get to shoot what you want, when you want, the way you want, and the only person you have to please is yourself, and you get paid to do it...</p>

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<p>My college photography teacher warned students about these kinds of classes. Everything in the class is focused around tools way beyond the budget of the students. </p>

<p>I know a retired professional photographer who loves to teach his skills to others. His most popular class is "Forensic" photography. He does not teach this to 'CSI' types. Instead he is teaching this to small town police departments, fire departments, and various home/building inspectors. The class is a 'run what ya brung' format and he will teach each student how to use THEIR camera to get the best photo. For this class he offers a 100% money back satisfaction guarantee and has never been ask for a refund.</p>

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  • 2 weeks later...

<blockquote>

<p>Everything inside this studio was big and heavy-duty. The hairlight boom was so big I don't think it could even fit in my modest 13X20 home studio. A 36X48 softbox that hung on it, looked tiny in comparison. This thing was big, with thick metal arms that I think I could do a couple chin-ups on. The Reflectors were the size of small walls, unlike my 42" Max reflectors. Of course they were using a couple of 2500WS power packs although we(students) were relegated to the 1200WS power pack. The background was at least 20 feet wide and 15 feet high.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I get to see a lot of "ultra-pro" studio set-ups in my TV job. I know their Profoto power packs cost like $12,000 each, and their Octo-supergigantor softboxes and over-sized beauty dish thingies cost a pretty penny too. However, I can still emulate their general <em>techniques</em> using Speedlights, large pieces of Foamcore and some 216.</p>

<div>00YRLn-341389684.jpg.95630aead5dc26ea31af4dacc77a4c1e.jpg</div>

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