rfdphoto

This may be too late of a reply, but I just finished shooting a launch campaign for a restaurant in Dallas called Bullion. The chef has a Michelin star, so it was a highly anticipated opening here.

We did all of their interior/exterior, staff, beverage, and food photography.

We did almost all of the food with a single light, shot through a medium softbox, with big pieces of styrofoam as reflectors (usually at least one in every shot).

Depending on the caliber of chef I would recommend getting a food stylist. The Bullion chef was there for every shoot and personally styled all of the food, so we did not need to hire one, but if you are not dealing with a chef that is good at plating and styling his own food I would highly recommend a stylist. They will take your shoot to the next level.

As far as rates, it really depends on your level of experience and what you are comfortable charging. For the most part we shot 4-5 dishes in about 2-3 hours time, but the restaurant was closed and that was all that was going on. Like any other kind of photography, the more the photos are going to be used to help someone else make money, the more you should be charging them.

I hope this was helpful

- Ray

Studio Manager

Eighty three creative group

You can sync it with your Novatron lights. The 40D should have a PC plug on the side of the camera that you can just plug the Novatron cord into. You may have to purchase a household/pc sync cable if the kit didn't already come with one. I used a Novatron kit with my 30D a while back for several shoots and had no issues.

As for the Lumedyne flash system, I don't know. But at least that will answer two of your 3 questions.

Sorry again - i mis-spoke.

Tamron comes with 6-yr warranty Sigma does not.

Sorry, I meant to say teetering between the 70-210 F/3.5-4.5 USM

and the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro

OK

I'm teetering between the 100-300 and the Sigma now.

I like that the sigma has macro and a 6-year warrantee... (can't beat that)

thanks everyone for your advice

@Harry Joseph

thanks for the suggestion - I will look at it

thanks WT

Unfortunately none of those lenses were in my consideration and are all out of my price range.

@Bob O'Sullivan,

this is a trip to spend Christmas with my parents. It has been an annual trip but they just got reassigned, so it will be the last time for a while that I will be there.

I'll use it for landscape and maybe a couple portraits while there, but once I get home I will use it for portraits and for sports mostly.

That being said, I'd really like to have something to show for the money other than just photos - which is why I really want to buy a lens instead of rent one.

I'm looking at $200-225 for rental of a 70-200 F/2.8L USM (no IS), vs $210 for ownership of the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro.

You might try the Sigma 4.5mm F/2.8

http://www.adidap.com/2007/11/15/sigma-dethrones-nikon

even with the 1.6x crop that would still give you 7.2mm effective fishness ;-)

I'm trying to pick up an additional lens to build up my focal range. (so far all

i have is a 17-85mm and a 50mm). I'm going on a trip for about 13 days and was

thinking about renting some L glass, but for about the same price as the rental

I could just buy a new lens and not have to give it back - though sadly no L

glass. I'm going to Europe (Mostly France & Italy)

I'm not really worried about weight as I won't be backpacking or anything (I'm

visiting my family).

I'm not too sure what the subject will be, but as I'm keeping the lens after the

trip it will more than likely be a combination of landscape, portrait, sports,

and if I get the macro feature - then macro.

I'm looking at the Canon 75-300mm iii USM, the Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG

Macro, and the Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD 1:2 Auto Focus Macro. I know that

none of these are amazing lenses but this is what is in the budget at the

present time.

I've used the 1st generation Canon 75-300mm before and got pretty good results

but haven't touched any others. As of right now I'm leaning towards the Sigma

just because it has the macro feature and I've heard from some people that it is

a better lens.

My price range is as close to or under $200 as possible. I can pay a little

extra for shipping but I'd like to stay close to $200 so please don't tell me

that I should go buy the 75-300 IS USM, or the DO, or the 70-200 F/4L as I can't

afford any of them.

I'm interested in people's experiences and opinions.

Go ahead everyone - hit me back with your wisdom.

Thanks!

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000BZKZH/002-4918817-3756050"><IMG

src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/211W56TTN1L._AA200_.jpg"></a><BR><BR>

I recently saw a youtube video where a photographer used one of these.<BR>

They are under $30 and fire with any other flash.<BR>

I've ordered one master w/cable, and one slave. (master can be both master &

slave)<BR>

With this setup I'll have 3 flashes total (4 if you count the 30D's on camera

flash).<BR><BR>

Has anyone had any experience using this type of flash? I imagine you get what

you pay for - as with all other aspects of photography, but for $60 I couldn't

resist.

I am not trying to be offensive in anyway with this post but I have a photo

shoot coming up soon with an African American girl and have a few questions

regarding wardrobe and exposure.

Does anyone have any advice?

I will be shooting with a Canon 30D and either a 70-200 F/2.8L or a 17-85mm F/4-5.6.

The shots will be outdoors. Not sure of the location yet but I was thinking

about having a lighter background with dull colors and having the model wear

something bright so that she jumps out of the background.

Please let me know what your suggestions would be.

thanks!

another way to correct:

Copy the background layer in photoshop (ctrl+J) and then apply "filter/blur/average".

next select "Layer/new adjustment layer/curves".

below the "options" button on the curves properties pop-up there are 3 medicine droppers. pick the middle one and click anywhere in the blurred layer.

now click ok. hide the blurred layer (you can delete) and you're done.

Probably already mentioned but if you speed up your shutter to 1/60 or 1/80 you should still be able to get useable images without motion blur.

another piece of adice i'll give is to buy a flash. the on-camera flash is really not that great. I got an old 80's Vivitar Flash off of Ebay for $40 and it is great. doesn't have TTL focusing and metering but that's not a huge deal when you are just learning how to use it. take a few practice shots in the setting you are in and you should be good.

you will learn more than you would if the camera did it all for your anyway.

piggy backing off of the previous thread.

I have MAYBE $1800 worth of gear but would still like the peace of mind of

knowing if anything happens I'm safe.

I looked at a couple of insurance companies a few months ago when it got the new

camera, but none would cover it from theft or damage outside the home.

I can't afford $500 a year - at that rate i might as well buy a new camera in 3

years anyway!

Are there any other alternatives?

Any opinions on this lens?

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-90-300mm-4-5-5-6-Autofocus-Telephoto/dp/B0009X6RX2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4010566-7687927?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1178728334&sr=8-1

I know its cheap, and slow. But other than that?

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Digital-SLR-Sensor-Swabs-Type/dp/B000BDCE1Y/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-8560216-0423857?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1177868589&sr=8-1">Sensor Swabs</a><br><BR>

<a href="http://www.pictureline.com/products/2823/Eclipse_Optic_Cleaning_System/#">Optic Cleaning Liquid</a>

I use these and they have been a great help.

http://www.pictureline.com/products/2823/Eclipse_Optic_Cleaning_System/#

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-SLR-Sensor-Swabs-Type/dp/B000BDCE1Y/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-8560216-0423857?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1177868589&sr=8-1

I paid about $40 total for both (which now I see I was slightly scammed but I will credit the extra money to having someone there to teach me how to do it the first time)

I was very very nervous the first time, but as noted in several other discussions, the sensor isn't that incredibly sensitive so it really was unnecessary.

All the same I would recommend going to a camera shop and having someone talk you through it the first time.

put a few drops on both sides of the swabs and with a fluid motion go from left to right and then right to left. that's all there is to it.

I have to agree with you that i was disappointed by Canon's rebate program.

I cut out the UPCs on the boxes of both my 30D and EFS 17-85mm IS USM and mailed them in within the appropriate time frame. I photocopied them first, which was a smart thing on my part.

A few weeks later I received a check for $15 and an "invalid UPC" notification mailer.

The rebate was supposed to be $230.

I called to find out how the UPCs were invalid, indicating that there were no other UPCs to cut out. I was put on hold for about 2 minutes and then informed that a check for the full amount would be in the mail within 30 days. I did not have to explain myself, or ask twice.

So the question comes back: "WHY?"

Is this something they do just hoping people will take the smaller amount and not bother to call in? I think that is very shady of a company as large and reputable as Canon.

I was very disappointed.

There is nothing terribly "wrong" with my current collection, other than the fact that I have no telephoto capabilities, and that I have 2 lenses that essentially do the same thing (granted one is far superior than the other at it).

If I had $500 I'd go out and buy the 70-200 f/4L in a heartbeat. Unfortunately money is a little hard to come by for the time being. Also unfortunately my thirst for photography is not.

i was hoping to get something that would put me into the 200mm range.

This would give me more options when I do take landscape or street photos. although, at my price range, the street photos will have to be on a bright day because the lens will be slow.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed thus far!

It is looking like I may spring for a 70-210mm, either normal or macro. I have found a few options on the famous auction site that I think I can afford, provided I can sell the 28-90mm (which I already have an offer of $50 on).

Hi everyone,

I am beginning to notice the limitations of my redundant lens collection (EF

50mm f/1.8; EF 28-90mm F/4-5.6; EFS 17-85mm F/4-5.6 IS USM).

I have nothing that will go beyond the 110mm range (the 28-90 on a 30D will

translate roughly to that). I shoot pretty much everything from people to

places to things. Just depends on the day and location, so there isn't really a

specific need for, say, a portrait or macro lens.

I am contemplating selling the EFS 17-85mm IS USM and the EF 28-90. this should

hopefully net me around $450-500.

The question then is, what would be the ideal replacements for these two lenses?

I have thought about the EF 28-105mm and the EF 100-300mm as my 2 new lenses,

which I should be able to purchase with the money.

My hesitation is that since these lenses clearly cost half what the 17-85mm IS

USM does, they must not be very good lenses. Would this be a fair assumption?

If not, what would be the wisest replacement(s) for a $500 budget?

thanks for your help!

hey everyone.

Please excuse me as I know very little about flashes and lighting.

I have a Canon 30D and am interested in trying to learn about Flash and light.

Will the Vivitar Auto Focus ZOOM 736AFNi 67 Flash work with a Canon 30D?

Also, I'm assuming this is a TTL judging on the red sensor on the bottom of the

flash. is this correct?

Thanks for any help!<div></div>