michaelmowery

<p>The diffusion is to soften the light. By using a grid over your diffusion you will have the soft light with the 40 degree beam spread. If you choose to remove the diffuser you will have a harder light. It is a matter of hard and soft light. There is not a typical or right way. These are creative tools to shape your light source to your own creative objectives.</p>

<p>As long as you use or do something then you are in good shape. The problem is when you have all the latest and greatest apps and you still are not diligent in entering in all the data required. </p>

<p>One can recreate the hardbox with black tin foil. All you are paying here or Profoto is a nice looking metal housing that looks professional. A Black box is a black box. It is all physics</p>

<p>While you can as Ian suggests, give a decent rate up front, it would be more helpful to know what the actual usage rates are so as to not over charge or worse undercharge. From there you can make a more educated decision on how much you charge. <br> There are a number of resources that you can draw on to get information. I suggest to start with ASMP.org If you want to pay $50 per quote you can go to D65. Software such as Foto Quote is great.</p>

<p>Bill for each shooting day and whatever post production work is required. If your asking about setting a package price because you are thinking the numbers are adding up high, I can not answer that. Only you know what your cost of doing business is. It never hurts to ask the client what the budget is. The labor part should be easy for you to figure out. I am sure you have some idea of what is involved and what you would like to make. The bigger numbers can be the usage rights for advertising but you don't seem to be asking about that so I guess you already know what those numbers are. You are free to break down your labor rates however you like.</p>

<p>http://www.lighttools.com Makes the best in the industry</p>

<p>Yes, Your location would be helpful and would dictate what your market would bear in price. Also you did not state how long you would be working. You did say working shots throughout the day. What does that mean? You will be shooting all day? Generally you should form an hourly rate and a minimum rate plus usage rates and expenses.</p>

<p>I enjoyed trying it out but realized that auto focus is such a part of my shooting that it did not make sense to start to invest in manual focus lenses. Also the fact that canon 85 is 1.2 is a big plus over Zeiss. I do miss my Hasselblad with carl Zeiss lenses but that is in the past now. Like a death in the family.</p>

<p>I offer experience not reversed engineering. My actual years of photography and lighting experience is my foundation for all my advice and comments and I have the images to prove the level of photography expertise. When I see a picture of a shot that I was not present on I can only guess to how it was created it. There are always more than one way to skin a cat. That is the beauty of this forum that the OP can hear different perspectives from working professionals or experiences shooters. </p> <p>Most pro flashes (excluding speed lights) can do all that you requested here. If one is going to invest $1 to $2K on a flash then make sure it has the power and the ability to accept accessories for future growth. Removable reflector (allowing for bare bulb use) is a must. (My opinion) LOL.<br> Renting a pro flash prior to making such an investment is always encouraged. Although if you are lacking knowledge on how to use flash then I would recommend taking a course or better yet find a local pro photographer and learn from them. Practice and going out and do it is the best teacher and making mistakes can be even a better teacher during this time. Good luck!</p> <p> </p>

<p>LoL....Instead of guessing if was bare bulb or not why don't you ask the photographer who took the image. As for Mark W. he always makes great remarks and shows excellent samples. I have been on this forum for many years and have shown many examples of my work. This is not about who is right or wrong. This is a learning forum for new photographers to ask the questions for what they do not understand completely. We all have information to offer. It is up to that person who asks the question to chew the meat and spit out the bones. And more importantly to go out and do it themselves and learn first hand. This is not for old photographers to debate amongst themselves. There is no first prize. LOL</p>

<p>The best way to attract new customers is to show great images. Your work should speak for it self. The other alternative is the undercut everyone else which will eventually drive you out of business.</p>

<p>Separate your want from need and that should help you decide. For me the next lens has to be one that will make me money so I can continue to buy more lenses. I can narrow it down by my experiences on the job shooting when I find myself saying, I could really use a ___mm Lens to get better results or make the job easier. Trust me I have a full page list of lenses that I want.<br> I can't choose the lens for you. Only you know what you need.</p>

<p>The backlighting technique has long been done by photographers of days gone by and it has reared its head again. I personally don't like it and when I do see photographers do it it is way over done. Anyways to answer your question, I would first learn more about using a flash before deciding what flash you may or may not need. You can have a $2k flash but if you don't know how to use it then its a waste.<br> The back lit shots are not done bare bulb by the way. I don't know anyone who actually backlights like this using bare bulb, it would actually waste a lot of power and minimize forward illumination. This is not to say you should not do it bare bulb. It all depends what your going for.<br> Your requirements for a flash to overpower the sun and use 15-20 feet away with a grid to focus the light will require a professional strobe that has removable reflectors and accepts grids. All very nice things to have. You will have to do some homework and study what companies offer a variety of light shapers to allow growth with your investment. $1-$2K is a realistic budget to get started. Again, learn more about flash photography before investing.<br> When you know what your doing you can make a speed light work to achieve these same shots. Try that first then if you desire more control and want more options move up to the $2k investments.</p>

<p>You hit on a good topic. We photographers think that we have to do the job ourselves. This is not a good business model in general. Like any business there is always risk hiring an employee or subcontracted worker. Your fee for portraits and what you pay your photographer is backwards. Either charge more or pay the photographer less. Once you start paying employees you will learn quickly that your rates will need to be raised.</p>

<p>You made your first step by identifying the type of photography that moves you. I could not agree more with your choice. Understand that you are mostly if not all, looking at models and not your average person. The experienced or natural gifted model will add much impact to your photo just by filling the frame up with there face. The knowledge that you need to bring to the table is how to see the light and how to create it so it falls nicely on there face. Add the help of a makeup artist,hairstylist and a set stylist and you have a complete package which results in an eye catching image. I wish the camera and a flash would be all that I would need to get shots like this. I can come close but without the team work of the others involved it would fall short. You need to just go out and practice and then collaborate with a makeup artist, hairstylist and wardrobe stylist.</p>

<p>Hi Shun, Being closest to the camera and being partially covered up are two different statements. As to answer your point of bride being partially covered up, I have known a few brides that preferred to be partially covered up as to hide some extra dress if you know what I mean. I don't hold tight to rules but I do what I can to make any of my subjects look their best. </p>

<p>While I don't agree with James First Rule...I do agree that you must make the bride look her best. Learn to take pictures first before jumping into any photographic career choice. The Camera choice is not important at your stage of learning. Just get a camera and start shooting and get to know the camera settings and framing. Let you creative side take over and see where that leads you. You got good advice here from everyone.</p>

<p>The best camera and lense for 2016 is the one you can afford. I will use myself as an example, I have been a full-time Pro for over 18 years so you would think I have the best equipment but really I have the best equipment that I can afford. I would like the 1DX but my 5D MK 111 is what I can afford and it gets the job done. before that I had the 5D Mk 11, 1Ds, 20D and the 10D. Each camera on down the line took the same pictures and got the job done. As the old saying goes, "It's not the camera but the photographer". There are really 2 categories in 35mm FULL FRAME AND CROP SENSOR. That should be your first consideration as to what you can afford. Once you pick what side your on all the cameras in those categories are really the same except for some features. The same goes for lenses, There are FAST PRO LENSES AND NON PRO SLOW LENSES.<br /> A beginner photographer should learn the basics of photography. Any camera that allows manual and priority settings will do. It is too easy to get caught up in whats the best or what features one needs. I have sat for hours and even days pondering these thoughts. What I have learned over the years is that you will evolve as a photographer and what you think you need or like today will change tomorrow. Don't waste time splitting hairs. Just practice taking pictures and knowing the ins and outs of the camera (any DSLR) When the light bulb turns on in your head and you understand photography as second nature you won't have to ask these questions, You will know. Its like fishing, once you learn you don't have to ask which rod or bait works best. In the meantime, seek out pros and assist them and get some on the job experience second shooting and practice, practice, practice. If you skip these steps and try to rush things you risk ruining your reputation as being a good photographer. There is more to it than getting an exposed image on the back of your display.</p>

<p>Your lighting looks fine. I would be more concerned about the styling of the cloths on the model. a lot of wrinkles and the cloths look a bit big </p>

<p>Ok, so if you were closer to your subjects then why could you not see the bad lighting on there faces? As to your question on auto settings it depends on the scenario, mainly the lighting conditions and if you use room lights or not. Assuming you have no room lights your number one main priority should be your shutter speed. You can have all the well exposed images but if they are blurred because of slow shutter then what is the point? One answer is not going to be the fix all unfortunately you will have to rack up experience to learn what lighting scenarios require specific camera settings. learning on the job as a second shooter is my best advice.</p>

<p>another pointer if I may. When doing formal pictures try to fill up your frame with more of the subject than the background. One or two wide shots ok but in the end your clients will want to see themselves more than the vaulted ceiling. When you work closer to your subject you don't need to use as much power on your flash and the lighting will appear softer.</p>

<p>Karen, indoor flash photography is the same as outdoor flash photography except you are working at lower light levels which means your flash is set lower. All the ratios are still the same.</p>

<p>My advice is to practice your lighting on your own time and not on your clients time. This can surely cut your career short. Figure out a lighiing set up that you can use all the time in any indoor lighting senario. At the very least you could have used your speed light as a fill and would have had well lit images and good files. In the end the client does not complain about what type of lighting you used or did not use. All they care about is a clear image that is exposed properly and well lit. As you get better in your lighting you can do fancier lighting techniques. You need to first learn how to see how the available light is falling on your subject and know how to correct bad lighting.</p>

<p>Hey Ian, The amount of equipment is relative, the point of this is to show that I don't complain about the amount of equipment that I personally use to do a job. I don't use mono lights everything is pack and head system.<br> In this particular case the client requested white background which in turn requires additional lighting of just the background thus extra lights, extra modifiers extra cases. I also have a case for just my ring light which also requires a power pack. I have a case just for grips and clamps. A separate case for a Profoto 5ft reflector and separate case for just the background support system. I don't use pop up backgrounds, not my style. Rolls of seamless offer more flexibility.</p>

<p>Hey Bob this is what it looks like all neat and on the cart.</p><div></div>