obleo_beck

The cheapest way to do this for you two lights speedotron blacklines two pack 2400w

and a 4800w one 102 w7'' reflector 4000w head thouht a screen. no reflector 4x5 is

idea or pro digital equipment. Jewery takes alot of light and some stones generate

color shifts. So become a color expert in photoshop or better yet macro color pro. use

a grayscale color blance the lights! (color meter) If you want to be a professional and

make professional money you must spend it to make it. Get rid of the coolpix!

I sorry to say it. But I am a professional and I can do that job, and I know how todo

that job by experiance. Being a professional cost money!!!

Photography is not just point and shoot!

While I was writing the last post james posted

James and Peter Studios use what they need for the job. But a good studio

photographer can get away with using one! light and a bunch of bounce cards,

relfeltors and mirrors. It does get that simple.

Remeber the client is always right and if a studio is shoting models it is expected

from the studio to have extra hands on set (assisants) models make a lot cash and

have 3hour min. bookings even if you use them for 30mins. Then you have hair and

make up and clothing stylists, art directions, clients etc. every must go right. So a

photographers assistant making $200-400 a day is nothing. Because if you screw up

that it. You lose a client. You loose money. You are not the professional that you

should be. That is why a photographer and or studio has many assistants on a set, to

make sure every thing go smoothly, most likly one or two assistants will not do much.

Remeber each job/client is different you can learn different things. If a day of

assistanting was alittle of a bore then that day was easy money. and most likly a

exception. This is the best way to learn, and you get paid for it. But work for many

photograhers because they are different experiences.

Peter, books are not very effective to learning from a professional. If you can enroll in

to a good school, tech college or a university has contuning education. But then you

learn more from professionals. The question is do you want to do this for a living if

yes you have to go all the way. You can become a freelance photo assistant. But you

will have to take a pay cut and tell the photographer you do not have experience. or

ask a Pro if you could interen for them. You would'nt get paid but you will learn alot

fast. If this sounds good go to the workbook.com and look in the directorys for pros

in your area. Mined you, you may start off sweeping and moping the floor, but then

most of use started out that way. If you live near chicago let me know I can give you a

jump start. But only if you are serious.

If you dont take that route I then suggest buying some videos from

calumetphoto.com they have many different ones to choose from.

The cheapest way 1st would be strobe and if your doing people I suggest it. But for

$300.00 is not much money. 1st what are you shooting. If its Product or Still life

$3000.00 should be a starting point. If its people then it will mach cheaper. If product

I use Speedotron black lines. You can get used heads and pack from Helix in chicago

that are refrebed by speedotron mostly beause Helix owns speedotron and the are in

the same building. You can get 3 102 heads and 2400w pack with tubes molding

ligth used for around $1000.00. or there is white lightings or allein bees both of

those units are made at the same company and can be hocked to a battery for

location work. You can get a good set for around $500.00 and if your shooting with

film you can multi pop product shots. If your using a 35mm digital most likely the

chip we pick the info up on product shots. If its people you shot. Then they will do

the job. Do a google search for these products because I dont have a web address.

Now for accessorys softboxes go for about 200.00 and up. But I would tell you to use

a calumet light panel system. they start as low as 30.00 and go up.

www.calumetphoto.com they have may options, calumet also sell good light stands

cheap staring around 30.00 for mini compacts. All strbe heads come with reflectors.

I would start with the 7'' you can always upgrade later. If you need a scrim here is a

good tip, Go to a hardware store a buy a roll of window screen its cheap and does the

same thing cut them up into smaller sizes to fit over the heads. Clip the screen on

with clothes pins. If you paint the clothes pins black that helps.

Believe me it works I have been doing it for 12 years as a product photographer.

If you need grip stands you can build them out of wood cheap and effective.

Scan the image normal if the neg is perfect.

To double check look at the histogram (this is where the zone system translates into

digital) I teach all my students the zone system before they touch digital because its

all over it. and they can work by the numbers.

Jim, If its not broken why fix it. I peronal love film and the darkroom. But I do use

digital, My clients ask for it so I have to deliver. If you don't have a art direction

looking over your shoulder then stay with what you know. With all this talk and film

vs digital crap, people seem to forget it is all about the art of photography.

Hi Francois if you can find a 545 get it. they stoped making them. They are metal and

yes they do go back together if you drop one. the 545i most of time break on impact,

the processor lever will break off. I own both for my studio and I never had replace a

545 but we had to replace alot of the 545i. If you found new 545 let me know where.

So I'd personal go with the 545. But if you dont see droping one it may be cheaper for

the 545i

Photoshop and all other 64 bit software designed for the mac for now and windows

will be backwards compatable. This was annouced at the last apple keynote. Like

window users many mac users have and well still use G4 and G3 boxes. But all of the

features will not be avaiable for 32 bit boxes so yes the G5 opens the key for all

features. I not sure what features will be affected. I am not a window user but then on

the other hand I'm not going to dump my G4 for a G5 for a any time soon. I would'nt

worry.

You can go to apple site and view the keynote, only thing it streams so you have to

watch for over 1 hour 30min before adobe speaks. It's kind of fun to see a dual G5

scream with PS7.0 vs. a Dual xeon dell the G5 finished before the PC started.