mattbuser

<p>I was using an umbrella at about 45 degrees to camera left, I took one shot and could see right away that there was too much glare, so I had him turn a bit and it was much less, just wanted to touch up the final. Thanks for your tips, I will try them and see how it turns out. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>Thank you guys for your input. I took the shots tonight, I moved the flash closer to the umbrella and I think they came out really well. The lighting seemed to work good. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>I did some portraits of Boy Scouts and one is wearing a pair of glasses. The flash is shining quite a bit in the lenses. I use Photoshop CS, what is the best way to remove or minimize the glare from the glasses lens? Any help would really be appreciated. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p> </p>

<p>I am doing some simple head and shoulders portrait shots tomorrow and will only be using my accessory flash on a stand with a 45in umbrella for the main light. I will box the subject in with a white wall to the right for bounce with the umbrella and light at about 45 degrees to the camera left. I am wondering, about the distance of the light from the umbrella, does moving the light closer to the umbrella make the light more intense or does moving it all the way back make more light? Any input will be greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>Hey everyone, I really really appreciate you taking time to answer this for me. You all have good advice. I really do love the a100, in fact it was almost an obsession for me to get one and when I finally did, I was in heaven, I had been using a minolta 35mm camera and loved shooting, then it stopped working. The a100 was a dream for me and it is a year old now and doesnt have a scratch on it cuz I baby it so much. Like I said before though, I would like another body cuz I know it wont last forever. I am a long ways away from the skills of a professional or even to be considered an extreme ametuer. I think this is the main reason I would like the a700 as I feel I would be able to accomplish some more things I would like to with photography. Like Rob said, I am sure at some point I will outgrow the a100 but I think the a700 would serve me well in the years to come. I am glad to hear that you all are happy with your a700's so I will continue to watch the price and just be patient. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>Thanks Steve, I appreciate your input. I think I was kinda hoping to hear that.</p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>Rob, doubt I would ever have enough for the a900, I think it would have to come down quite a bit before my wife would give the go ahead, but one can always dream right.</p>

<p>Rich, waiting wont be a problem, just wasnt sure if I should spend the money once I have it if in 6 months everything is new. I think I am still going to believe that the a700 is a good camera, regardless of what they come up with next. </p>

<p>Thanks. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>Rob, Ilkka, </p>

<p>Thank you for your replies, I dont necessarily "need" to get one, yet I would like to for one, to have a 2nd camera if something should happen to the first, and also to have some of the functions that the a100 doesnt have. Anyway, I agree, I dont really want to get caught up in the desire for the latest and greatest becouse it wont be the latest come next year. And you are right, the a700 will always be the a700, that is really why I went ahead with the a100 when I did, becouse it was way better than the 2mp point and shoot I was using at the time, even though it was going to be discontinued. </p>

<p>Thanks for your input, just wanted to see what other folks thought. </p>

<p>Matt</p>

<p>The reason I am asking this is becouse I bought an a100 last year about this time and it was discontinued. I love the camera and will continue to use it. I would have liked to get an a700 then but didnt have the money and chose to go ahead with the a100 instead of the then new a200. Now with all the talk of possibly an a800 coming out and of course they will start discontinuing models, is it foolish for someone to buy last years(or last 2 years) models. Of course the a700 is more camera than the a100, but I guess I am just wondering what your thoughts are on buying something "old and outdated" instead of the newest version. I would like to have a 2nd camera for various reasons. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>I will rate a photo if it catches my eye. I have rated most shots high becouse they stood out for me and are something very pleasing to my eye. If I could sit and stare at the shot for a while then that is one I want to rate. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>When I have submitted photos for critique I get a few ratings, and not very many critiques. It seems that people will take the time to click a few numbers but not the time to tell me what they think of the photo or what I can do better. I get very average ratings on shots that I think are pretty well done, but very few comments on what I can do better. </p>

<p>So I have come to value the ratings as a way of telling me whether people like my shots or not becouse there are very few comments. If I get rated high, then it would seem to me that someone liked what I did, if I get an average rating then I feel that I need to find areas of improvement on my own. I would appreciate more comments on my photos so that I know what people are thinking. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>I bought the sony a100 "because" I had minolta mounts, plus becouse the sony has the super steady shot built in to the camera body and there wouldnt be a need to replace the lenses I had to get antishake. <br>

All work fine. And saved me a lot of money buying new lenses. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>Rich, Not sure I am going to be of much help and I am not sure I understand your question. Are you asking about wireless triggers or about the ebay item?</p>

<p>I have the Sony HVL-F56am flash and use it with an umbrella stand. I use the tilt swivel umbrella adapter from Steve Kaeser. The problem I had was that it clamps onto something that is inserted in each end, the light stand on one end, but the flash unit doesnt have anything to insert to the top to clamp on to. I simply bought a 15 cent 1/4 inch threaded 1.5 inch bolt from the hardware store and screwed 3 nuts on it to have some width to clamp to, then I screw in the table top adaptor that comes with the flash unit. As you said here, it sort of puts the flash off center, but the benefit of the F56am is the downward tilt, so I can tilt the flash head toward the center of the umbrella and it works well. </p>

<p>As far as the flash trigger on ebay, I dont think you would need it since the flash fires with the pop up flash anyway so you dont need this slave, that will just add more height to your setup. </p>

<p>Hope this helps. <br>

Matt </p>

<p>Chris,</p>

<p>Every time I have gone to your portfolio I have really been drawn to the "Fall colors along the river 1". But now that I look at them again today, I really like the snow scene of the river and sunset. I think I would vote for that one as #1, then the fall colors second. However, I agree with Peter and think the panoramic shot is very impressive, and will grab the judges attention. Please let us know what you submit and then how you fare in the contest. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

<p>I bought a kit from the Steve Kaeser website <a href="http://www.skaeser.com/">http://www.skaeser.com/</a> that had the background support and both the black and white 9x15 backgrounds. They were quite affordable. you might try looking at their site. I have not checked out any of the other sites that are spoken of here. </p>

<p>Matt </p>

I would like to say that I am finding all this information in this thread very interesting and am definitely taking heed. All of these things have been rolling around in my head for quite some time and still I don't

really know how to sort them out. So all of this information is very useful to me. Thank you.

I know this thread was started by referring to those people that want to go full-time, but what about

those of us that want to start out part time instead of just taking a leap and dropping our security. I am

a little disheartened by some of the comments, "newbies", "wannabe pros" etc. I have read in a lot of

posts that one should talk with photographers as they are an invaluable source of information. I have

not found this to be true. NOT here on this website, but in person. Those of you on this website are

providing us with tons of useful information that will definitely help to make us successfull. But

photographers I know in person, are snobbish and avoid photographic conversations at all costs. To me

it feels as they may view me as competition therefore will not share anything that might cost them. I

get a little sense of that here in this thread.

That being said, I am not new to photography, but I am new to the business side of photography and

want to start progressing towards making a living at it. I have a day (actually night) job that pays me

well and provides for my family but is completely unsatisfying. I have no delusions about quiting that job

to "go pro" but I do want to start selling photography. I enjoy taking portraits and feel that there is an

opportunity for me to do that here in my area. I intend to start off slow and part time taking portraits of

friends and family to grow a business. I think that photographically I am ok but again, don't know a lot

about the business side of it, but I know a little and have read a lot. I am intending on taking a small

business marketing class here in the next few months because the marketing part of it concerns me the

most. I can easily see spending gobs of money on fancy brochures and advertisements that never quite

reach the people I need to reach, therefore becoming a waste. So I am hoping to learn how to

specifically reach the people I want to reach. Some of the equipment costs have already been incurred

but I am sure there will be lots more. I am planning on creating a studio here in my home over time as

well.

I hope I haven't bored you to tears yet but I just wanted to pipe in from the viewpoint of someone who

isn't there yet but would like to work that direction. I would ask that you all continue to support people

new to the photography world by giving advice and critique. Thank you.

Matt

I like it. I am planning on going with smugmug also, any warnings or suggestions?

Matt

Might I ask what the going rate for digital negatives is? This is something I have had people ask me for

and I dont really know how to charge for it.

Matt

I am thinking about going with smugmug too but I dont have any website experience, what I am hearing

here is that it is a little difficult but can be muddled through?

Your websites look good by the way. Nice job.

Matt

Cassie,

I didnt think your website was all that bad, and I like your photos. Maybe you had already changed your

contact info since the previous responses but I had no problem finding your contact info. I am by no

means a website critic but it can be better agreed, but I wouldn't slam you for what you have done. I am

pretty much in the same boat as you and want to get "out there" and get more business. I so will

definitely try to keep in touch and let you know what works for me.

Matt

It might be out of your way but if you like to travel, There is a huge Sandhill Crane migration right thru

the middle of Nebraska in February through March. It is immense. Mostly around Kearney Nebraska. I

am planning on spending some time out there this winter.

I am no nude photographer, but since you are into the marine thing, a suggestion might be nude in the

water. Just a thought. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.