jake_holt

<p>Oh yes, if you're curious, take a look at the galleries on my site, www.jakeholt.com</p>

<p>About 95% of that stuff was shot with a 5D. See if there is any vignetting that you would find objectionable!</p>

<p>Choosing a crop sensor camera over a full frame camera simply due to vignetting is akin to choosing a Kia over a BMW because the BMW spins its tires when you take off too fast! What I'm trying to say is, IMO, a full frame camera has so many advantages over a cropper that dealing with vignetting is small potatoes. In regard to my earlier post, I haven't used the 24-105 at all, so I can't speak as to its performance, however, I often use fast primes wide open, (24 1.4, 50 1.4, 85 1.8) which is where vignetting typically most often occurs, and have seen nothing that I would consider "heavy vignetting." A little, maybe, but nothing to worry about given how I like to shoot. <br>

<P></p>

<p>Simply put, at least for me, full-frame vignetting is a complete non-issue, something that has just been trumped up on the interwebs by pixel peepers who want to complain! Sooooo...go get that 5D or 5D mark 2, you won't regret it!</p>

Flashes simply wear out, I've had quite a few do the same. Canon will rebuild it for around $100. Feel lucky that you got

almost 4 years out of it, the way I abuse flashes I have to get them rebuilt every 6-12 months.

As David mentioned, template based services such as Bludomain, and to a lesser extent, Livebooks, will have a similar look. When you

get

lots of people in one market using the same service, the similarity becomes very obvious, even to a less-than savvy consumer, and helps

to

contribute to a sense of sameness among you and the competition. Why pay you 3x the amount if your presentation looks just like the

other

person? One of the main reasons that I went with Livebooks (still a template, yes, but with lots of options) was that no one in my market

was using them 2 years

ago when I bought my site. Now, I know of only one other local photographer who is, while at least 15ish or more of my local, direct

competitors are using Bludomain. Livebooks costing at least 4x of what Bludomain costs is a big part of this, and I was willing to pay a bit

more to not have a clone site. That said, in the world of webdesign, even the cost of Livebooks is small change. The site I recommended

before, www.sofake.com, is rumored to charge upwards of $50,000 for a custom site. This fellow's site was done by sofake, and it's pretty

amazing: http://www.matthewmahon.com/

Hmmm,

www.livebooks.com - Clean, reasonable $

www.sofake.com - Be prepared to spend approx. the price of an entry level Benz.

I agree that your original response has a lecturing tone - if I received a similar message from someone I was doing business with, I

would be insulted. How about dropping the parts about "the basis of a business relationship" and "isn't an acceptable means of dealing

with the issue." To be frank, you sound like a scolding teacher, parent or boss, not a businessperson! It is in your best interest to

definitely not send that email as-is.

Soooo, I would cut to the chase while showing understanding but still keeping a business-like tone. I mean, she did write to ask you

what to do and IF she could pay the lesser amount, so it's not like she was just trying to slip it past you. Like you, I also offer

complimentary sessions with some packages, and while they are clearly described as "complimentary" in all of my marketing materials,

if my clients are unable to use the time prior to the wedding I will often offer to let them use the time on the wedding day or at some time

after the wedding. Personally, due to the "misunderstanding," I would let any late fees slide for at least one week from the date of my

response, and I would clearly state that in my response. I would simply email first, and then call and THEN send a certified letter within

a couple of days if I did not receive a response.

So, this would be my response:

"Hi Client!

I received your payment in the amount of $xxx,xxx,xxx.xx today - thank you! Your receipt is attached.

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with scheduling your dress alterations. We can still get your photos ready in time for your wedding

day if you are able to schedule your session within the next (insert whatever time frame that works for you). If you are unable to

schedule your session within the next (whatever amount of days), you can use the alloted session time as an addition to your wedding

day coverage, or you could even schedule a day-after portrait session or a portrait session sometime down the road. However, since the

session was a complimentary service, you were not charged for the session, and therefore, no refund or payment reduction can be

given. Your remaining balance of $500 is due today, August 28th, but due to the confusion surrounding the scheduling of your session,

I'll be happy to toss out any late fees for a week, through the end of the day next Thursday, in order to give you time to take care of the

payment. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at your convenience.

Thanks again,

- Jake"

I rarely use a 1.6 crop, so my choices are for full-frame:

Prime: 24mm 1.4

Zoom: 17-40

No book, but check these out:

<P>

http://planetneil.com/

<P>

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

<P>

This is all pointless until we know what kind of computer you have - adding RAM is pointless

if you are trying to run Lightroom on a G3 or Pentium 2!

"Three words: bokeh, bokeh, bokeh"

three other words: lens, lens, lens.

NOT: camera, camera, camera.

Nothing to do with: 5D, 5D, 5D"

<P>

Dear Mr. Moseley,

<P>

Apparently you haven't done your research - with a given lens, with the same framing and aperture, a larger sensor will

always provide a shallower DOF than a smaller sensor. Yes, the lens obviously matters, but a given lens will always

provide a shallower depth of field on a 5D or any full-frame sensor than on a crop sensor camera. Not to mention that

the larger photosites provide much smoother, less noisy out of focus areas - shallower DOF plus less noise equals better

bokeh. My favorite combo is my 5D + 24 1.4 - I would need approximately a 16mm 1.0 for a crop sensor camera to

approximate the look of the 24 1.4 shot wide open on a full-frame camera. Than lens does not exist. So, maybe not 5D,

5D, 5D, but full frame + fast lens = better bokeh than a cropper. Times 3.

This is how I work as well - the flash can just hang out squeezed in between my left arm and

body, or, just sit it down to change lenses!

Thanks David!

<P>

I haven't had any experience with the Ebay triggers, but what you said pretty much echoes

what I've heard about them. Of course, if you are using EX flashes you can use a

master/slave setup or use a single ST-E2 to trigger them all (which at $200 costs less than

having multiple Pocket Wizards). The Canon wireless works great in many situations, but

from a distance indoors with high ceilings or outside it is sorely lacking - that's when PW's

become a necessity. At close range or indoors with low ceilings, the Canon system will do

the job just fine.

I find that shooting outside with flash, rather than limiting my options, actually opens them

right up! Find a nice background, put your subject in shade, put camera on manual, expose

for background, set flash on proper power to fill the foreground...voila! Beautiful blue skies,

green foliage AND properly exposed subject. The key is to put the subject in the shade.<div></div>

"As much as I like the strobist.com website, I don't want to become one of those

photographers who carries around 20 studio lights, softboxes, and flashes... it's just not me."

<p>

Well, 20 lights aren't necessary! I do the vast majority of my lighting with one or 2 lights. One

light stand, a wireless trigger system, a flash and some light modifiers can add a lot to your

work but not take up much space.

My experience when using lithiums was that they would heat up quickly and then croak -

until they cooled. My experience with rechargables has been much better - also, an external

battery pack will help immensely, as it will take the strain off the batteries in the flash and

allow the flash to recycle much faster.

"Do you rely on fast lenses or off-camera lighting for poor lighting situations?"

<P>

Both, depending on the situation.

<P>

"How much do you use reflectors and lighting equipment when shooting outdoors?"

<P>

Reflectors never, lights always for formals.

<P>

As Colleen said, examples would help us to answer this question.

I will agree that the 85 1.8 has faster AF and better build quality - a retooled 50 1.4 with

similar qualities would be nice. But really, I don't care much - the 50 1.4 is still exceptional

overall, and IMO, provides superior image quality over the 85 1.8 at all stops. ESPECIALLY 1.4

and 1.6! Comparatively, I also find the 50 1.4 to be far sharper at 1.8 than the 85 1.8.

I can't understand the people who bash this lens - maybe they got a bad copy - or maybe

me and 4 other photographers that I work with on a regular basis got really lucky and have

excellent copies? It is particularly excellent on the 5D - it s my 2nd favorite combo after

the 5D + 24 1.4L, and that is only because I prefer the 24mm focal length for many

things. I have owned many L zooms and primes, and the 50 1.4 is the sharpest lens I have

ever owned. The only weaknesses I see are a lack of sharpness and CA at 1.4 - it gets

razor sharp by 1.8.

<p>

Check out this sample, shot at 1.8 with focus on the eyes - are you telling me that's a soft

image?

(for a larger view go here: )<div></div>

To answer your question - I chose a Flash-based site because it has a more attractive

interface than your average HTML site. Still, it is a petty minimal site - no music, no silly

animations, just the photos.

Flash is like any tool- used with skill it can do great things. Used poorly, well, you get a

gagfest.