brenda_carpenter2

So many good answers here, and I just have to put in my two cents and maybe it will be good for a chuckle! I have always wanted to be a professional photographer--took the classes--been shooting for 30 years--and I love weddings. And, I have a GREAT eye! I can spot those once in a lifetime shots like nobody's business. I wish I could attach some samples to prove it, but unfortunately, I don't have "the finger". By the time my brain sends the messsage to my finger--the great shot is over by a split second. The irony here?--my husband retired last year to become a wedding photographer? Sure he took a few classes and had some experience -- 10 years as a CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPHER! He booked three weddings before he had even shot one. He wasn't even used to shooting people who could move. But, he can sell ice to an eskimo and he has a knack for making people look beautiful. Now he's booked most weekends with weddings, bridals and engagements. Where is the justice! My consolation is I get to assist (which means I carry the equipment) and I get to spend the money he makes. Marketing skill and raw talent are a formidable combination.

Thank you so much for your help. It's just what I needed. I am using a Bronica ETRS and Kodak Portra.

Hi, I hope someone can help me with this situation. If I have studio lights

set up for correct exposure at f8, shutter speed 1/500, normal lens at 10 feet,

how will I need to compensate fstop if I change to a longer lens and move to 30

feet? Will I have significant light fall off? Thanks for any help you can

give me.

I have owned a Pentacon Six in the past. I could get beautiful photos when I could avoid the flare, but it was hit and miss. It is also heavy and the focal plane shutter on a medium format gives considerable shake. In addition to the TLRs listed above, you might also consider a Minolta Autocord. The prices are low, often less than $100, and the results are spectacular -- the lens is not fast, but is sharp and virtually flare free.

Nadine, The best in this area is Odessa Camera Center. They have a web site and will probably take mail ins. I can usually get my 120 back in 24 hours or less. George Scott, the owner, is very picky about color and won't let anything out the door until it's perfect. His largest print, 12 x 18 inches, is only $12.00. You can't beat it with a stick! Small towns do have their advantages.

<i>"I would seriously consider dealing with digital, because shooting all film, you are placing yourself at a disadvantage if you care about the print quality.

1. It is becoming less feasible to shoot film because you can't get good optical prints anymore. Even if you submit a negative for printing, most labs now will scan the neg and print digitally. Big difference in resulting quality. It is also now more expensive to make prints from negatives than it is to print from a digital file. It is even more expensive to get optical prints, because now, it is considered custom. And while it hasn't happened yet to any large degree, film may become more expensive."/i>

 

I am still shooting film and haven't found this to be true at all. I live in a small west Texas desert town (population 89,000) and even out here I have several good, and one outstanding, labs to choose from. They still do the traditional optical printing up to 12 x 18 and the quality is wonderful. I do have to use another lab, usually Burrell Pro Labs for prints up to 30 x 40, and have occasionally had to send prints back, but in the end they always make it right and I'm happy with the results. Don't worry, you can still get great quality traditional printing if you look around.

Don't overlook the Agfas. The ones with the Solinar lens (a four-element) are very sharp. I have an old Agfa Ventura with a solinar that gives great results. They are not as good of course, as the TLR's, but they are so light and easy to use, they are a good choice for when you want something light to carry that will give you a large negative.

I highly recommend the Bronicas. My husband is a professional photographer and I sometimes assist him. We use a Bronica ETRS and a SQ-A. I did research before buying and I choose the Bronicas because of the wonderfully sharp lenses and because Bronicas are very simple to use. Ours have been very reliable.

There's one major advantage to film transparencies and negatives. They last longer than images stored on CD's. I learned this when my sister went to view her wedding pictures and the disk had become unreadable. We didn't know they had to be recopied every few years. I have five years of my kid's photos on disk now. I will have to remember to re-copy them. It was becoming a big job since the number of photos was going into the thousands. So, now I have switched back to film for my most important photos.

Well darn! You guys shot down a perfectly good excuse for buying another camera! But, you gave me some good advice. I'm going out to the lake in two weeks, and hopefully will come back with some breathtaking photos. Thanks a million.

620 film is still available at B&H. (I apologize if I am repeating what someone has already said. I have had great experience with several "folders" bought from ebay. The Agfa Ventura with Solinar 3.5 is especially good. Of course, the TLRs are better (Rolleiflex, Autocord, and Yashicas).

No suggestions on filters, but as the wife of a photographer, I do reccomend that you move your wife to the top of the "take along" list. Have a great trip!

Hi, I am wanting to take some medium format photos of sunsets at a local lake.

At sunset the wind dies down and most other boaters have left and I think I can

hold the camera steady enough at 1/64 or 1/30. I have a Rolleiflex 3.5E and a

Minolta Autocord also with a 3.5 lens. I am reluctant to take either of these

out on the boat and I wonder if 3.5 will be fast enough. I could probably pick

up a Yashica D or Yashica Mat with a 2.8 Yashinon lens on ebay for a good

price, definitely for less than a Rollieflex 2.8 would cost. Would f2.8 with a

400 ASA film be adequate to give me good exposures at 1/30? I will appreciate

any advice you can give me.

I am no expert and only a amatuer photograher, but I have studied marketing extensively to help my husband with his photography studio, so I will pass on what I have learned from studying experts in the marketing field.

 

All direct mailing should contain a strong headline which states a benefit to the customer and this should be in subject-verb-object form, even if the subject "You" is only implied. For instance "$99.00 Portrait Event" could be "Save 65% on Portrait Session Now". (Keep in mind I am no copy writer)

 

All should contain a call to action and a deadline (which you have.)

 

Marketing tests have shown time after time that black text on white is read more often than text on color or reverse color text. Who knows why.

 

If at all possible, have at least one testimonal on your marketing pieces, even if you have to make the picture smaller. Testimonials are strong and effective marketing tools.

 

Best of luck to you.

I'm guessing that since you have mentioned the Lubitel that you are leaning toward TLRs. If that is the case, there are definitely better values for the money such as the Rolleiflex, Rolleicord, Minolta Autocord, and Yashica Mat. All are well built and, with proper care, will give you a lifetime of outstanding photos. TLRs are great for portraits, landscapes, and street photography. If you want to do any macro, Mamiyas (either TLR or SLR) have bellows that will allow you to focus very close.

I have a Bronica ETRS and an SQ-A and have never even thought of using them without a tripod. You might try using handheld with the mirror locked up and a very steady grip, but mostly they are designed to give best results with a tripod. An alternative might be to try a good twin lens reflex like a Rolleiflex, Minolta Autocord, or a Yashica Mat. Suspending the camera from a strap around your neck and bracing it against your abdomen can keep it very steady. Also, there is no "mirror slap". I have gotten good results in low light this way.

As somebody who has been around a while, I don't worry too much about film not being available in the future. Back in the '70's acrylic paints were supposed to put artist's oil paints out of business. It didn't happen. When socks and sweaters began to be mass produced cheaply, I'm sure sales of knitting needles went down for a while, but now yarn and knitting needles make up a stong industry. Film will survive because it is an artistic medium and so many of us are willing to keep buying it.