lindsey holland

Another question - mac users this time. The video link Vladimir put up raises some issues

I've experienced using my husbands mac: things like programs shutting down randomly even

though the system keeps running, and files vanishing when you try to rename things, etc. Are

there easy ways to avoid this? Are there issues with getting a non-mac monitor to calibrate

well?

Thanks again.

Thanks everyone. Looks like I've got a lot to think over still! Just to clear up some confusion

over my budget; I'm over in England, so the budget's pounds not dollars. I typed in a pound

sign and for some odd reason it came up as a question mark. I was using... a mac.

Steve - thanks for the reply. I'm afraid I'll have to show my ignorance and ask... XP Box? I've

searched Google for info on it and haven't found anything that explains it in plain English.

Can you give me the lowdown?

Just noticed the typo! It should read 'My budget is ﾣ1,200'

I need a new desktop computer (old laptop died two days ago and was due for replacing anyway). I shoot

mainly weddings, also commercial and portraiture, and work in RAW initially. Whatever I buy has to be

very fast and as headache free as possible, and on my desk in the next couple of days.

My budget it ﾣ1,200, or thereabouts.

I'm looking at either a Powerbook G5 dual core 2.0Ghz, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, with a non-mac

monitor (can't afford an Apple one)...

Or, a custom-built PC.

My laptop was a PC and I get on reasonably with Windows, except for all the viruses and spywear, but then

my firewall wasn't as good as it should have been. I'll certainly invest in that if I go the PC route. I also

use my husband's mac, so I'm used to their system too.

A possible consideration is the new Mac Intel Core. I've read conflicting reports but the consensus seems

to be that it's not the beast for Photoshop, yet. If anyone knows differently, please let me know.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Thanks Kelvin. Out of interest, which lenses do you use on your Canon? I've a technical-whizz friend who advised me to avoid Canon unless I could afford Carl Zeiss lenses (sadly no)! Have you had problems with the quality of Canon's own?

Thanks for all the responses so far. Regarding the computer geek/photographer debate I seem to have generated - going digital necessarily involves computer processing so I see it as a burden of the beast. Whether you enjoy it more/have more talent at it than the photography is a different matter, in my opinion anyway.

As for my camera work, like a lot of photographers I'm a bit of a perfectionist. The reviews of the D70 vary, most of them good, but some do comment on the dynamic range. Personally, I have an issue with it (it is, after all, a low end professional SLR) and I want higher quality, better exposures and brighter images. Whether I'll have to wait a little, however... the budget isn't marvellous. Also, I'm not sure whether it's worth going for a 5D or D200 when it's still expensive gear and might not fully address the issue. Does anyone have experience of the mid - top end Canons and Nikons (in relation to my queries - I've already read quite a few reviews but they start to blend into a heap of confusion).

Thanks in advance for any more advice you might have!

I'm afraid this will be a rather vague question but I'd like some

feedback to help get my plans in order.

My wedding business is fairly new - I'm doing my first batch of

shows and fairs this year and am pitching to the middle to upper end

of the UK market. My 'look' is vibrant and high quality, combining

fashion, portrait and photojournalistic styles.

The problem... I have D70s and a slow computer. I'm getting

increasingly more annoyed with the D70s small dynamic range (blown

out highlights or underexposed areas - yes, I've tried almost

everything and I do shoot RAW) and the amount of time I'm having to

spend getting the images to look bright and the colours still rich

without adding too much noise - on my slow computer. Also, the

results don't always withstand blowing up to 16"x20".

So, the question is... what do I get first: a faster computer to

process average images more quickly, or a better camera like a D2X

or 1ds MkII?

Sorry it's a long one. I appreciate any ideas you might have!

Thanks!

Thanks Jammey - works a treat. I tried some of the other suggestions but got stuck (I don't have CS2) - thanks to all of you who offered help anyway!

This may have been asked many times but I haven't been able to find

a direct answer.

Is there a quick way to convert large batches of images (several

discs worth of wedding) from Raw to Jpeg? I have Nikon software and

Photoshop CS. Do they really have to be done individually?

Thanks!

Oh, and I will, of course, drag the shutter if using flash indoors!

I have a wedding shoot tomorrow - not a real wedding but with models

and cars, church and manor provided out of kindness! I've arranged

it myself to get quality shots for my sample album, which, of

course, need to be representative of what produce regularly, but

with a good looking B&G and just a little more time to think about

things.

I posted a question about equipment a few days ago, and based on the

advice bought an umbrella softbox (it arrived this morning). I went

out testing yesterday (with just the SB800, my D70, two reflectors

and an assistant) and found that no matter how I bounced the (yes,

only one - low budget) flash, outdoors, in the shade by a wall, I

got either a shadow from the subject, or the wall lit and the

subject shaded. If it's sunny, the reflectors work well. If not,

it looks like I'm stuck with flash shadow. If it's overcast, I'm

now tempted to go with flat lighting and no flash, and brighten it

in photoshop. Not so indoors, of course. Some of the rooms will

have dark wood panelling so bouncing could be interesting. I've

been using the flash wirelessly. Any advice on how to work around

this, indoors and out, and on what differences I can expect with the

softbox, will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Thank you! I've read the links, digested the advice, re-thought a few things (still am) and got a softbox umbrella. All of your advice has been much appreciated.

Thanks. Yes, I'm well aware that I need to cater it as much as possible to what B&Gs expect from their own day.

It's really techinical advice that I'd like, particularly with respect to indoor and outdoor lighting with the equipment I have and possibly an umbrella.

Thanks.

Yes, I'm looking forward to it. I've spent some time going through old posts in the lighting and wedding sections, and am assimilating info from it. What I need, though, is to bring all the (at times conflicting) advice together specifically for my Tuesday shoot.

Thanks again!

Being fairly new to wedding photography and having as yet not shot

any stunning brides, I've arranged an almost complete (and free!)

wedding day with two professional models, to get some high quality

images for my portfolio. It's this Tuesday (31st) and I want, of

course, to get the best results I can from it.

I have a Nikon D70, and SB800, diffuser, good tripod, additional

tripod for the flash, reflector, and the standard 18-70 Nikkor lens

that comes in the D70 kit (I'm thinking of hiring a 12mm wideangle).

Given that it's England the lighting may be low. I also have

several indoor venues - a hotel, hairdressers, the church and a

manor house (impressively Gothic but quite dark). I'll take close

ups, full lengths, etc, but also want some shots showing off the

impressive location and interior. I'm wondering whether I should

invest in a brolly to bounce the SB800 from, or whether to just

bounce off the reflector. If I use the reflector opposite the flash

gun, angling it onto the subject, I'm unsure as to how this will

effect meeting. Obviously I'll take test shots on the day, but I'd

like to have the various options clear in my mind first.

Many thanks for your help!

I'm about to undertake my first solo location shoot and am unsure as

to the best lighting to use. I have a Nikon D70, access to an SB800

flashgun and a very very low budget. I'll be shooting outdoors, in

England, in February, so the chances of good natural light are

fairly slim. I've been advised to hire strobes but this is a little

over budget for me. Do I really need to get strobes for the best

results or could I get some kind of slave (and a stand... and a

diffuser... or an umbrella)? It's for my portfolio, so I really

want the best results I can get, given the restrictions.

Thanks for your help!