leeblackman

Seriously you might wanna look at something like a D1x. You can pick one up used for less than a grand, I know this is about your budget, but you will need the 3200 iso and 3 frame per second shooting ability. Honestly I would actually recommend x2 bodies, have one with a wide angle zoom lens and the other with a telephoto. Especially if your going to be in the action. I wouldn't bother trying to shield the camera, just make sure to put a uv filter for protection of the lens. The D1x should be able to take a paintball hit or a few. And I'd probably paint your mask bright orange and wear a orange vest. I've played alot of paintball, and know how hard it is trying to look thru a view finder with a mask on, so the larger viewfinder of the d1x will also be an advantage. For less than $300 don't get a dslr, your better off with a well equipt p/s or maybe try using film. $300 typically won't cover a decent lens for an slr to start wtih.

Honestly I think you could probably pick up any emachine or whatever for around $500, spend another $150 putting 2gigs of ram in it, then another $200 on a video card wtih 256mbs ram, buy put a second harddrive in it to store only images on, format and reinstall the operating system to get rid of any shovelware that came preinstalled on it. If it doesn't have a dvd burner in it you can get one for less than $40, even a lightscribe. Burn everything, everything, everything on DVD's, don't rely on a hard drive for backup or any type of magnetic data storage device. If you are a little component savvy you might even put your own system together or just piece one together from a barebones from www.newegg.com, all the prices I quoted are from there. Other than that, you pretty much don't want the monitor that comes with a lower end system unless your just using it as a second tool pallet monitor. And for the $1000 you spent piecing it together you'll be two steps above what you could have bought at sam's. Processor isn't really the most important thing, mainly ram, especially if your using photoshop. Honestly anything over about 1.2ghz will be plenty. You'll find that spending the money to get a better video card will be way better than shelling it out for a better processor.

I have a Soligor Compact 250 monolight, and of coarse its one of the

ones, where when the bulb burns out you have to send it off to the

manufacturer to get it replaced. I don't think the manufacturer is

in business anymore, I can't find them anywhere online. I'm pretty

handy with a soldering iron, and feel fairly confedent I can solder

a new bulb in place myself, but I would prefer to have someone who

does it professional to. Does anyone know where I can send it or

even purchase a replacement bulb?

Greg, I just wanted to let you know that I really respect you as a supervisor. Just the fact that you posted your question tells alot about your character. I hope that you go far in whatever you do.

 

I've never used a CVS pharmacy. I probably had about 300-400 rolls of film process last year at minilabs, mainly a local Walgreens who knows me on a first name basis. I don't get prints made, just have the c41 film processed. Out of all those rolls,h less than 5 have ever been messed up.

 

The biggest issues I have:

Over/underdevelopment of film.

Not using gloves when handling negatives.

Color management on prints.

I look at it this way, neither is more secure than the other. They are both bags that can be carried, meaning someone could either assault you or hold you at gun point and carry it away. As far as thru airports, I'd take it as carry on.

 

I follow two rules: 1-Out of sight, out of mind. 2-Deter so the next guys easier...

 

Remove labels, and rough up your bag. Not only does it keep you from looking like such a noob, it also tends to cause people to assume whats in it isn't very valuable. Dress the part to, don't wear your photographers vest... And if the next guy looks easier, then they will probably go to him.

 

Practical? I like shoulder bags because they just seem easier to get stuff in and out of. But for carrying heavy stuff long distances, a good pack wins hands down. Even day walks around a festive civic event with a shoulder bag can get unconfortable. That single strap with all the weight digs into your shoulder.

Honestly, I don't really even pay attention to the anonymous ratings. Thats all fine and dandy. What you'll probably find is that over time, the longer your on the site, you'll get to know a few people who have similar taste and will provide a good constructive critisism. Its just like anything else, you know.

Do it man, go all the way. The light at the end of the tunnel is always brighter through the longest tunnel... You may have to work twice as hard, but that only means you get to be twice as proud.

 

The 1DsMKII is a monster, a beautiful monster. And if thats what you want, get it. Don't settle for the more practical 5D. Besides the 1Ds MkII will hold its value longer and depreciate slower than the 5D. And you'll be way more proud to strap it around your neck. Its a nice feeling to be in the group, and have everyone looking at you in envy.

 

ROFL....just do it.

Pawn Shops. And ebay never fails.

Anyone ever hear of the Brooks Institute of Photography? It is

mentioned in a couple of older photography books that I have, and

made to sound quite venerable. Is it still a reputable school? Has

anyone from photo.net attended? How much does it cost? How much is

cost of living in the location near the school? Would I get a

better education, or be more demandable in a photo career having a

degree from Brooks than say from my local community college?

(Austin Community College) Are there other really nice reputable

photography schools or colleges that offer photography degrees? Are

there better schools than Brooks?

ROFL... I just got my F5 and sent my F100 to get the broken back fixed on it. And hopefully resolve the self time issue for once and for all.

 

Maybe you should get an F5. I got mine in like new condition for $500. Its a later model, and had less than 1000 shutter cycles when I bought it.

 

I'm so used the F100, that I still try to change film the same way in the F5, but it has two levers and a winder to pull up. But I still love it. Once I bought that vertical grip for the F100, a camera without one just doesn't feel right anymore.

 

I really would like to see an F200 in the future, but I think that the F6 was a supprise enough in itself. I honestly have no clue where the 35mm slr market will be in the next few years as we start to see the, to some, out-of-reach digital slrs become more reachable. There may end up being no market for the F200, or at least no enough of one to justify its production.

 

When I can pickup an excellent condition Nikon D1x for under 1k, I will probably stop shooting 35 for alot of applications I currently use it for.

I've been messing around with breaking an image into two layers, then

using the diffuse glow on the top layer, and erasing everything but

the skin, then adjusting the blending. Do you think this image looks

better with or without the adjustment.<div></div>

How does one go about coming up with a business name and logo? I

really just want something that would look nice for my website I'm

in the process of making, but I'm just at a stand still. I was

going to try and use a nice font with 'Darwin Lee' without putting

anything like photo or photography or anything like that because I

consider myself way to amateur to attach that label.

 

But going thru this process I have to wonder how anyone comes up

with a business name. Do they try and decide while waiting in line

at the court house to fill out their DBA? Or have a list ready

before hand with first and second choices incase theres is already

taken...

 

Any suggestions or influencial websites?

Yea, I did kinda notice when I ran a search on google, that there is really alot of useless information to weed thru. I mean it may not be useless to someone, but not really what I'm looking for. I figured I might hit the book store and check out some stuff. I was actually trying to look for maybe an online coarse, or coorespondance class thru a college that I could take.

My friend spent about 5 minutes retouching a models skin and

changing the colors on a photo I took. It brought my image from

looking like a dull image to a clear smooth image. Literally made

all the difference in the world. I didn't really see exactly what

he did. I know he broke it down into layers, and erased sections on

different layers, used various blurs, then adjusted colors on

different layers and flattened the image. Obviously he has done it

quite abit and is very proficient. I would like to learn how to do

so myself.

 

Does anyone have any techniques, or know of any online resources

that will be helpful?

That was a Belgium mfg'd Fabrique National P90 5.7x28mm with an

aimpoint ml2 red dot sight. Its a short range cartridged designed

for rapid low recoil fire on targets at short range (under 100yds)

and has kevlar penetrating capability. Its lightwieght, compact,

manuverable, and has unique ergonomics. But it also has one hell of

an intimidation factor to a populous ignorant to its capabilities.

To the rest of us, its just another submachinegun. In other words,

he's not the one you have to worry about, its the guy that you can't

see with the bolt action precision machined .308win who can hit you

with sub MOA accuracy from several hundred yards away.<div></div>

From what I can see there is only two modules, the MX-2D TTL is for Minolta Manual Focus bodies, and the MX-1AF TTL is for Autofocus bodies.

 

The Minolta 800si is an autofocus body, so I would use the MX-1AF TTL module.

Yes I was. But it was also on a smaller lower resolution monitor. I'm on a 21" monitor now set at 1600x1200 32bit, would that make a difference?

I bought a used Nikon coolscan III from a friend. I've scanned

various color negative, b&w, and slide film with it. All my images

come out kinda grainy or noisey (can't really determine). When I

used it on my friends computer before I bought it from him, I used to

get some very good scans. It happens both using and not using

digital ice. Maybe its just me, or maybe the monitor. Most likely I

just don't know how to use it properly. Any advice?

The porn industry is probably more powerful than the NRA. I would be willing to assume that they will win in the long run, especially after we get rid of our current political administration. I

Thats sad, being that old you'd think its municipality would have placed it a landmark and turned it into a museum.

I see it as another money game in our capitalistic society. Which ever party has the better lawyers wins, and the better laywers cost more money than the other guys.

 

I think that in this day and age people should be use to having their picture taken, considering that every street corner these days seems to have a surveilance camera on it. I figure if you take someone's picture and you own the film or medium it was taken on, then you own the image. Its ashame the courts don't see it that way though.

Where are you getting Natura 1600 from and how much is it? Do you have a source in the US?

Its very hard and tedious to get a precise cut. I used to cut rolls of polymer fabric in a warehouse. We ended up making a jig that was never very precise, maybe up to an inch differation. I've literaly unrolled rolls and used a yardstick, make two marksand ran a sharpie marker along side the ruler. There are machines that will do it for you, but they are very very expensive. I wouldn't recommend it unless someone else knows another way.

The security guard that is... And call the cops first, as soon as they obstruct you from taking photo's. That way he is automatically the bad guy in any type of civil action.

What could he have done, if he touches you, then you can place assault charges on him. If he tries to keep you from leaving you can place unlawful detainment charges. If he touches your camera, then he is a theif and you can beat him sensless.....