xray4u

Read your thread .. same issue here with Pantone Huey. Mine worked just fine and then I installed CS3. I don't know if there is a direct connection since I only calibrated about every 3 months. What I do know is it worked fine prior to CS3/Bridge. I can calibrate but it will not apply the change on bootup meaning the system is overriding it somehow. I've tried everything I know to no avail. Pantone says remove the adobe gamma but Vista doesn't have it on board.

All the images I've labored over look horrible without color correction as I processed them under that environment. What a dilemma.

Rebecca ... Was just thumbing through the forum and came across your note ... probably a few weekends too late eh? I shoot a Canon 30D with the 430 EX as well. I do however have an external portrait setup as well. Everyone has different feelings about continuous versus strobe .. I opted for strobes for various reasons. Namely .. heat output with continuous (although there are advertisements for continuous flourescent) .. and also eyes. If you use continuous the eyes are always constricted .. I like the pupils open. I would recommend starting with one strobe and some reflectors. Cheaper way to approach it and add a second strobe later, etc. As for an adaptor ... Wein makes some you can mount in the hot shoe that will attach a sync cord. I invested in some radio controlled to go wireless and when you have the money I'd highly recommend. As for an umbrella .. I opt for a softbox but once again that is just personal preference. Main thing is you want to diffuse the light one way or another. Hope this is of some benefit to you.

Regards

Kevin S. Atkins

Mitchell ...

Obviously a lot of names out there. I use Photogenic and have no complaints but I do not use battery packs. They are available. If you have the money .. check out Alienbees. They seem to be very well rated and a lot of people on here give them high marks. Cost a little more but I hear they are worth it.

Amanda ...

At a minimum I would look at a shoe mount flash. I shoot a Canon 30D with a Canon 430EX when not using external lighting. Obviously the problem with a built in flash is first of all output and then second of all the flash is too close to the lens (red eye). Photoshop can only do so much. In my humble opinion, avoid direct flash without bouncing it off something (white card mounted on top of the shoe flash, a wall, etc)

There are plenty of good shoe mounted flash units out there if that is where you want your lighting to come from. Since you are shooting Canon you may want to look at their selection. Just throwing my two cents in. Great shooting.

Leah ..

Alien Bees have a great reputation and I'm sure great lights but it really comes down to how much you want to spend as AB's are a bit on the high side. As with anything .. you get what you pay for though. Personally I use mid range priced Photogenics. Whatever you get .. make double sure they have adjustable power settings (mid to upper priced lighting will have). There are cheaper units that only have full/half power. You also need to consider whether you want to use sync/slave triggering or radio. Some heads have this on board.

Just thought I'd throw my two cents in. Great shooting.

THANK YOU

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone on their input here. I appreciate your taking the time out to respond. You've certainly given me a lot to think about. Warmest Regards!

Advice welcome. I've been shooting portraiture with a Canon 60mm f2.8 macro

lense mounted on a Canon 30D. I'm curious what your thoughts may be on another

lense that might be more appropriate? The macro works fine and I understand

that a macro lense can be too intense in detail on skin flaws .. much of that

gets post processed out. I do notice unless I'm shooting full frame shots ...

that I need have to position myself quite a ways back for 3/4 to full body

shots. I was curious what the thoughts of others are and if there might be any

recommendations. Thank you in advance. Regards.

Thank you for your expertise and warmest regards.

As I'm not familiar with "pocket wizards" can you elaborate what they are and where I could find? Thanks

I have two Photogenic StudioMax III AKC320 flash heads. This weekend I took

them for a remote family shoot and had problems getting both flash units to

fire at the same time. One head is wired with sync cord. Closed as many

drapes as I could to lessen ambient light and still couldn't get slave to kick

in. My question is ... has anyone experienced this and what recommendation is

there that can deal with this issue so as to prevent in the future? Thank you

in advance.

Thank you both for your insights. I will certainly apply them and see how I can improve. One final question .. would you recommend moving away from an inner white umbrella to gold? Same question as to the reflector. I've heard that gold tends to provide for warmer skin tones but then if I adjust the white balance .. didn't know if it would be necessary. Thanks for letting me pick your expertise.

Click on my name and look at portraits .. particularly the baby near the motorcycle ... keep in mind that these have been post processed. The originals are brighter and whiter .. Then look up Franco Ferro .. (I ran across his stuff on here) ... look at his portraits and notice how they look "warm" and lighting looks limited. It is this feel that I'm trying to achieve. Thank you.

Advice please. I'm trying to achieve portraits with a softer/warmer lighting

effect. I currently use two 300 watt Briteks that come with full and half power

only. I'm shooting both strobes half power with umbrella (white) as key and

softbox)as fill. I generally try and move softbox way back to get one third

lighting. Even still ... the shots tend to lack warmth with a more white

appearance. The works I see on here tend to have more "focused" light in

specific area's and also are much "softer" and "warmer". I really would like

to replicate much of the work I see on here with that soft warm feel.

Obviously I'm a "work in progress". Thanks.