image creations

Seen alot of $1000/day references. Lets be realistic, thay 1k has to pay for a week of work, paying down the debt to purchase all the equipment and any other expenses needed just to be there for the day. Wedding photography intices the amature because of the relative ease. They don't usually see the behind the scenes havok that can totally screw up a non prepared photographer. I have yet to get a wedding of my own but have assited on three and am pursuing portrait work more to hone my lighting skills and burn in my posing skills. I one day hope to secure a wedding contract and produce a job that pleases not only the client but myself as well. I read almost every post in this forum and the lighting forum. I thank all who reply to my posts and I try to learn and apply the suggestions I read about. Hopefully I'm improving.

I took this picture of my step kids and want to remove the shadow

from my step daughters chin. I have photoshop 5.5 and element 2.0, I

haven't yet found a way to do what I want. Do I have this option

with this software or do i have to spend the cash on an upgrade.

While I'm good with computers my experience with photoshop is

extremely limited and I have alot more real darkroom experience.<div></div>

Jeff, I have two Britek pro 750's and while they do put out alot of light for the money they only adjust ouput by three full stops. So there is only the choice of full, half or quarter which I find to be a little limiting.

Paul, I like that adjustment. I will try that the next time I do a shoot like this.

I was looking for lighting critique, therefor I posted in this forum. I thank you all for the suggestion of a fill reflector as I did use one for other shots during this shoot. What I was trying for was an aura of innocence with a hint of romance, but wheather I achieved that would be for the critique forum.

I shot this with a 600 w/s unit set to 3/4 power through a 2'x3'

softbox. f/5.6 1/60s. Was just wanting honest opinions as to how I'm

progressing.<div></div>

Here is the result of my home made reflector. The main light is 24"x36" softbox powered by a 600w/s unit set to 3/4 power.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation.tcl?presentation_id=308018

Try http://www.printroom,com

I just created a great reflector for less than $12. I bought from our local art supply and framing place a piece of 30" x 40" 3/16 foam core and the same size gold foil mat board. Glued the foil to the foamcore and now have a white/gold reflector that works beautifully. I will probably post a sample after the lab develops the shots I just took using it on Monday.

I have been looking deeply at getting a D5 but someone told me about

the S2 having the same resolution. I was wondering if any real world

comparisons were available since there seems to be a significant

price difference.

This is from a famimly shoot that I did<div></div>

Below are a couple of samples from recent shoots I did. The clients

loved the shots but I would like some feedback from the experienced

group. Could things have been done better? If so how?<div></div>

Research "Dragging the Shutter" this technique properly executed will allow the results you are looking for. You also didn't say if you were trying to capture this on film or digital. Digital gives you the option of combining two seperate images. ie the model and then the background.

Here is the results of the shoot that I was so waorried about. Main

light was a 600 w/s with 24x35 soft box at 45 degrees to the left of

the camera and another 600 w/s unit with a white umbrella set to 200

w/s approx 60 degrees to the right of camera. Shot at f11<div></div>

To trigger any flash unit I have ever encountered all one needs to do is close the circuit via a dry contact. The primary reason for all the warnings with the new digital breed of camera's is that they no longer provide a dry contact but use a transitor to close the circuit. Excess voltage from a flash unit can fry the transistor. For your need though the delay of 1/2 second would be too much since your desired sync speed would be at least 1/60 second. Modifying a used R/C system of some sort might be a more viable solution. You also have to ask youself how much your time is worth since there are already production units available.

"If a novice photographer really wants to learn the business, he can look through books or videos on the subject. The wedding location is no place to be schooled."

I tend to disagree with you Carl in this reguard. Once books have been read and videos watched, what is studied must then be put into practice. The best way to learn is to do, so unless one is independatly wealthy and can setup mock weddings the real ones will have to be the final learning platform.

A monopod might prove benificial along with the fast film.

Think of your light tent needing to be a cube with one side not enclosed and you'll be well on your way to a good solution. White rip-stop nylon does a good job and should be available at a local craft or fabric store. Actually you really only need four sides of fabric; sides, back and top. The bottom can be whatever you want unless you need to illuminate from underneath for anything. Your 2 500w lights should be enough, they just need to be difused properly.

It can be done in Photoshop if the background color is uniform. An easier way is to go to ebay and procur a small cube lighting tent, then position three lights around it; left, top, and right.

Back when I was doing alot of B&W my absolute favorite was TechPan 2415 ( I still have about 50') but I see absolutely no replacement available. If you used a tripod when shooting, printing a 35mm neg to a 32 X 40 was possible. For people and non action shots I would use plusX and when I needed to capture motion I would often use TriX and push it to 1600. The absolute best thing though has aready been stated: experiment, experiment, experiment. Find out what differences the films you find have, how they capture and portray your subject, and find what you like best and use it.

I agree that it is a lot of trouble for a christmas party, but these things generate so much future business I never want to do a poor job.

I have the good fortune of owning a YashicaMat124G with both the

wide angle and telephoto lenes. Is there anyone out there that knows

what effect the use of these lenses has on my exposure settings?

I bought the mono lights so that I could do groups more effectively. So now that I have them I know that a higher F stop can be achieved and that techniques previously unavailable might be explored. Also this is my first time working with a senic background and I want to ensure that the scene looks like a 3D set so that the people are part of the scene. Yes I realize that the people are the important part but I do want to achieve a complete picture.

I am in the fortunate position of possibly having too much light for

an upcoming christmas party portrait shoot. Let me set the scene:

 

Equipment-

2 600 ws monolights w 24" x 35" sotboxes,

2 750 ws britek pro heads w/ 43" umbrellas,

1 Novatron 240 kit w/ 2 heads and 36 " umbrellas,

1 10 x 20 senic background.

 

I am so used to a 3 light solution (main, fill and backlight)I am

not sure how to best use my current resources. Do I just double up

for the same 3 light or do I attempt to move things around to

achieve a good hair lighting effect? The senic means that the

backgound needs to look as part of the scene.

 

Any thoughts, ideas, or solutions will be much appreciated. Why do I

feel like I'm overthinking this?