mark_hartman

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<p>Check this <a href="Check this link for similar question on the effect. http:/photo.net/portraits-and-fashion-photography-forum/00Vuoc">link</a> for similar question on the effect. I think that's part of what's going on here. Slow shutter, then intentionally bumping the tripod or model movement a bit, while shooting with flash. Kind of a dreamy effect when done right.</p>

<p>I think Matt's right on this. While not as pronounced as the samples you link to, I got this effect shooting at night with strobes lighting the subject and lower shutter speeds to pick up some of the background. I really didn't like the effect for my purposes, but the studio shots you linked to seem to integrate the effect into the concept fairly well.</p><div></div>

<p>Hi Gabriel,<br>

I think you'll be fine with either 85mm, but you can skip it completely if you like. I have the 1.8, but if you've always wanted to rent the 1.2, and the cost is not going to bother you, go for it. Especially if you have it for a whole week! </p>

<p>There really is no reason not to take some shots wide open, just don't necessarily take them all that way. Just be careful if you focus and recompose wide open. The band of "in focus" area will be quite small and you may not get the focus where you wanted it. </p>

<p>If she's going to get into modeling, she's going to need more than just a head shot anyway. I think the rules posted so far are more to do with actors. Most models won't just have a headshot with a resume on back, but rather a whole portfolio of images to show a variety of looks and emotions.</p>

<p>If you both have the time, take a variety of shots. Go for it and have fun. Post the results!</p>

<p>I think sharpness, or the lack of sharpness is just one element of a great photo. It won't make a boring shot better, nor will the lack of absolute sharpness make a perfectly timed shot fail. It's certainly something I strive for in my work, but I've sold many people portraits they loved that would fall in the same category of the ones in your link. I think there are better things to fixate on when shooting portraits than that. Over time I think I've gotten better with the sharpness and it allows me to concentrate on other elements. </p><div></div>

<p>You can certainly get away with using just one light on your subject, if you want. The shadows can help create a mood. Look at all the great stuff done using just window light and a mom-to-be. </p>

<p>Of course, you may want to have a large soft box or shoot through umbrella if you want to get close to that look in studio. Attached was done with just a large soft box to the right of camera. You can add a reflector too, if you are not a fan of shadows in your work. But, with dad and child added to the setting, you'll need to keep them very close together and watch how they are positioned if you plan to go with one light.</p>

<p>You can dodge and burn in the background after the fact if you want to get a darker or lighter effect. Good luck!</p><div></div>

<p>I agree with the earlier posts. You go far by asking nicely and repecting their rules. I shot the following picture in a pool hall near my studio and spent hours talking to the owner afterwords! I plan to go back and shoot him too, as he was quite the charactor. In fact, most small business owners, etc. make for interesting photo subjects, as long as you are interested in styles outside of fashion.</p>

<p>Also, a lot of times people are flattered to be asked and I usually offer to shoot a few shots with them as a thank you.</p><div></div>

<p>You don't specify in your question what you have the aperture set at, but I suspect you are using the auto feature on you camera and possibily in a low light situation. The beauty of this lens is that it will open up a lot so that you can use it in low light, but you do have to be very careful where you place your focus points. You also need to be aware of this if you tend to focus and recompose alot before firing your shot off. Like Matt said, either increase the light on you subject so that your auto settings don't have to be so wide or switch to manual or aperture priority and use a setting closer to f 5.6 or 8.</p>

<p>Personally, I look at this as a valuable feature rather than a problem, but it can be tricky to master! </p><div></div>

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<p>Hi saeed, I like the expression and the brown tone of this shot, but I'm not crazy about the background. It looks like you might have cloned sections of this repeatedly to remove distractions, but to me it looks rather artificial. (Especially left of his eyes.) Maybe you can try to smooth it out a bit with some blur? From the angle you shot it, it also seems like the background should be less focused at the top than it actually appears. </p>

<p>If not, I guess I just couldn't tell what it was he is sitting on and was distracted by that!</p>

 

<p>Did you try the blue channel? I thought that was the one to tweak to impact freckles. Of course that still leaves you with a b/w image.</p>

<p>I tend to like freckles in b/w, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask anyway...</p>

<p>I find having something in your shooting hand that makes a unique noise can be helpful. (You can also make a sound with your mouth too, but sometimes people don't like to do that!) It can get the dogs attention and sometimes a unique expression. Just don't over do it, or they will get used to it fast.<br>

I've also had some success using a small bench or raised step for the dog to stand on. After a couple jumps up and down, they tend to stay up on it and let me get a few shots off. I think the key is to keep flexible. It sounds like you're working with an older dog, so he may be less interested in running all over the place!<br>

Good luck</p><div></div>

<p>Some of these images I truly love. There is something real captured in them. I wish a few had a little less post processing because I don't think they needed it. </p>

<p>However, I often wonder when looking at celebrities being photographed if the images would be as interesting if I didn't recognize the person. I also can't help but feel most actors are never truely "candid." I think many are always aware when a camera is on them. Robert Dougthy Jr. (sp.) comes to mind. Don't get me wrong, I love him as an actor, etc., but he strikes me as someone who is well aware of how he's going to look.<br>

Thanks for sharing. </p>

<p>Cute shot. I might crop the top part of the head off, but that starts to get into personal taste. The stray hairs on the top of the head draw my eyes away from the rest of the image a bit.</p>

I think you could do this in a number of ways, even if you don't have lots of strobes. I attached a shot I took at night with a model in front of a wall of graffiti and I lit it with just my car's headlights on high beam. This isn't my favorite shot from the set, but it shows you another way to consider approaching the shoot. Have fun!<div></div>

I agree with the strobe over florecent advice. Your sample looks like you're getting some movement from the model or you're shooting hand-held with relatively slow shutter speeds. Strobes will help with that problem. I also think you'd be happier with your results if you can put one of your lights directly towards the backdrop. You'll need to move your model forward to avoid too much spill, so hopefully you have some space to work in. I've posted a sample that folows this simple format. You can also clean up the white by dodging in the background areas to get it whiter where needed.<div></div>

As a fellow Chicagoan I thought I'd weigh in!

 

I suggest putting some money into a good stand if you plan to use the cloth backdrops on location. You'll want the stability, but you'd also want to be able to pull the cloth tight to remove wrinkles, etc. I have a wall in my studio space that I tact cloth to so that it doesn't wrinkle, but clients tend to frown on the idea of you putting pits in their walls!

 

Backdrops also tend to be a style choice more than a right or wrong decision, so find something you like. I lean more toward seamless for solids but make a trip or two to the fabric store to get something different every so often. Attached is a shot using some purchased fabric pinned to the wall. I like getting something with texture and sometmes a pattern, to mix things up. Tastes will vary, so go with what you like. Fabric stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels usually have sales so you don't have to limit yourself. The only problem I run into with this route is width can sometimes be limiting.<div></div>

I prefer gray for the walls. I suppose they reflect some light, but I don't really mind for my style. It also depends a

bit on how big the area is. I have enough space that I don't have too much bouncing around, but if your room is

small, you may have more of an issue. The attached shot is using one of the actual walls and just the natural light

from the windows. I find having the walls a color I like to shoot with saves on seamless paper too!<div></div>

They've been shot with both. I'd guess most billboards are shot primarily with digital today simply because most commercial work is done that way now. Billboards are also viewed from a pretty good distance and usually while moving, so you really don't have to use a large format camera to have images usable for billboards. So much is done in production and resizing of the typical vinyl billboard material that most digital or film SLRs will produce exceptable images for outdoor display.

I don't think the flash units have a receiver built in, unless that's a brand new feature. Seems like that would hurt receiver sales and push up the cost of the flash units if that were to be added.

 

The slave function on the bees is light sensitive, but if you're using a transmitter I don't believe the flash units will fire without at least one unit connected to a receiver. I'd suggest calling them and confirming. They are usually quite helpful over the phone.

It's probably a better question to answer if you prefer zooms over primes. I personally love the 85mm and use my

primes whenever possible, so I'm biased. If you like the convenience of zooms a 85mm prime is probably not going

to get used too much. If so, skip it for now and save up for the 70-200 you have your eye on.<div></div>

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Darwin, If you want to keep costs down and still get great results try to manage the time of the shoot as best you can. Sunset and early morning light makes for great lighting. For a little bit more, maybe add a gold reflector to your set and a stand to hold it, if you don't already have one. I've even bounced on camera flash off the gold reflector to give me more warm fill. (I also have the off camera hot shoe cord from Canon, which makes this easier.<div></div>