pbless

<p>Craig, thanks a lot! </p>

<p>Hello,<br>

I excuse for my ignorance considering lighting equipment. <br>

To begin with, while I was doing environmental portraits i always used natural lighting + reflector, i often abused my surrounding to get the lighting right (setting sun, reflecting light from walls, etc). But i came to understanding to that if i want to grow i will need another light source (especially for several projects i have in mind) because such "manipulations" usually leaves artefacts which take time to correct.<br>

So i started looking at studio kits, elichrome (2 light set, D-lite) , bowen gemini (2 studio lights), as well as flash (Metz 58 af2, Canon speedlites). While the flashes give me easy portability i am not sure about their use for diffused light for portraiture and their suitability for more spacious portraits (seriously, the only time i used a flash, i needed AF assistance). The two studio kits seem interesting for me (both around £500) but i don't know if they can be easily used on locations such as forest, streets where there's nowhere to plug them in. <br>

So my budget is around £500 (~800$). Hopefully i covered all you need to know. <br>

Cheers,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p>Hi,<br>

I have read several responses to the "how much" question so i just wanna make this straight in my head. <br>

1. This is the first such photoshoot that i will be doing.<br>

2. I have had some experience in portraiture (i do a lot of street + i shoot portraits of my friends for practice) as well as i covered an event (graduation informal) for my university. <br>

3. I have researched the pricing in my area.<br>

4. I have a thought of 30 pictures fully edited and done to my liking, though i am not sure if i should include prints (they cost a fortune here...but i still have two more places to check). There will be 30 resized pictures as well for using on facebook and other social networks with my watermark. I don't wanna give the "unlimited" digitals. <br>

5. I should have a contract (at least basic one to start with)?...<br>

6. I don't know if to consider this, but the mom of the family is a friend of my friend and i personally have met her. <br>

7. I use a Canon 7d + 30mm sigma and 100 f2 canon for all my work. I read that this could make a difference. <br>

I am thinking of 100 pounds sterling for the whole photoshoot.<br>

Just to show you the level of my work i post my flickr page (hopefully this is not against the rules of the forum):<br>

1. portraits http://www.flickr.com/photos/palaima/sets/72157623787935620/<br>

2. street portraits http://www.flickr.com/photos/palaima/sets/72157624742035009/<br>

Kind regards,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Starvy - since i got this lens I saw an amazing improvement in my photography, but i am always lacking that "stealth", even though the lens focuses almost without any sound but that shutter...<br>

I am not the kind of person that buys just to buy if you are wondering that. But i must also think about the future, i already have almost 23k frames on my rebel (thats in 1.5 years) and I am using it up to its limit in not very favorable conditions, so it will give up eventually...<br>

My technical ability...well I do not do loads of PP, i don't like it. Mostly - converting to B&W, that's it. But considering taking the picture itself it gets kinda tricky. I am still staying with this setup for the coming months and probably will not buy anything if i wont see a greater improvement in my own photography and if i see that studies are (i am studying totally unrelated subject) suffering. <br>

Still thanks, I'm giving quite a lot of thought to this subject and all the responses were very helpful.<br>

Cheers,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p>I have a FED 5 with industar 50mm 2.8. Nice camera :) here is mine:<br>

<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4237839043_f1a7ac29da.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="335" /></p>

 

<p>Morgan: The thing is, that i am a student now and i wont be able to get a darkroom or use kitchen for developing film.<br>

This is also one of the reason why my minds is saying to just upgrade my 400d to full frame 5d2(this would happen later in the year if i choose). And also I am thinking will i be able to put up with manual focus only all the time...Even though it is a piece of cake on RF camera and doesn't take long.<br>

Argh... decisions decisions...Probably the best thing now to me is shoot more and do more research about the prices, developing and cost and see which one is actually better. <br>

Thank you all for responses,<br>

Cheers,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p>Morgan: The thing is, that i am a student now and i wont be able to get a darkroom or use kitchen for developing film.<br>

This is also one of the reason why my minds is saying to just upgrade my 400d to full frame 5d2(this would happen later in the year if i choose). And also I am thinking will i be able to put up with manual focus only all the time...Even though it is a piece of cake on RF camera and doesn't take long.<br>

Argh... decisions decisions...Probably the best thing now to me is shoot more and do more research about the prices, developing and cost and see which one is actually better. <br>

Thank you all for responses,<br>

Cheers,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p>Thank you all for responses. Never thought about those cheap scanners! (well i am kinda new concerning them, have to do a bit more research before switching).<br>

Cheers,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p>Oh email notification betrayed me :D <br>

Thanks for the quick response! <br>

Michael: Leica M8 is 1400 pounds on ebay + a decent lens will be around 2000...but taking in account the price of a good scanner, even a used one, this is a nice solution. I might just wait and see if the will go down more. But i read a lot of bad thing about M8 and i am really not sure if it is worth the money...<br>

I'm more like a B&W street guy, but now (since i am digital) i do both and in various conditions. Now i am using Kodak iso 200 film (the cheapest one - still getting used to film) - and it suits me well for sunny/ overcast days.<br>

Alvin: yeah, bessa with lens is easy to get, but that scanner <-- you can have the best lens in the world but if scanner is rubbish, the digital files will be rubbish.... <br>

Here you cans see what i'm doing with my current combo: (can i post this? Don't really know the forum rules...) <br>

Cheers,<br>

Paulius</p>

<p>This is the first question i post here, so i'll try to be as specific as possible.<br /> The thing is i REALLY like shooting with rangefinders. I have an old FED 5 (russian copy of leica) and it is mostly uncomfortable, the viewfinder is small, but i still love it because it gives me a different perspective and is both easy to carry and quiet :) <br /> So my problem is, i do load of street, and hopefully i am getting better at it. My current equipment is 400d and sigma 30mm 1.4 (terrific combo, love everything about it accept the LOUD shutter of 400d) but the more i use FED the more i like the RF way of shooting (simply because of the easy manual focus). I am looking at Voiglander Bessa R3A/R2A. I would better invest the extra money on lenses so don't offer me leicas of zeiss ikon. But now comes the real deal: FILM. If i want to do some serious shooting first of all i need film second of all i need a scanner because paying 6 quid(i'm in UK) every time i finish my 36 frames is just well nonsence. So i will need a scanner and as i understand good ones are quite expensive...<br /> So has anyone done the full switch to RF from SLR's ??? Would i be able to keep it under 1000? <br /> Cheers,<br /> Paulius</p>

<p>I missed the 200mm F2... </p>

<p>As I am a very idealistic person and i shoot street and it is a torture to me....I can't understand why i chose this type of photography but somehow it works for me. <br>

And now bout the keepers..well i have... 3 or 4 out of almost 700 shots.... thats = 0,5% :DDD <br>

And still the worst thing is when you think that you really got the shot..and when you load it one the computer it looks rubbish. And when you start to hesitate: am i doing something wrong? Did i loose the "sense"? And the worst thing when you're in this state is to look at photos of those pro street photographers...and when you see yours...and it is $h!t. <br>

People around say "wow, did you take this?? It is amazing!" But i myself don't feel that way. <br>

And here goes the question of what is "street photography for me"? A reflection of life? People? The Street? Or something more? I came to a line where i have to choose. And now i understand this photography for me is reflection of life and the only thing for me to do now is to make it work in my photos. Easier said than done. <br>

(PS: i started shooting street just a few months ago, inspired by some shot i found here and by war photographers)</p>

<p>Actually I'm leaning towards the 85mm, because well it is going to get cold in a month or so...there won't be any bugs or flowers to take macros of, so probably it is best just to get the one that i need now, because with 85mm i will be able to go around the city easily. Thank you all for your opinions! </p>

<p>Thank you all very much, never considered 60mm macro, because i think of moving on to FF in a couple of years, when my rebel gives up.<br>

Paul...that is my dream kit too, love to have the 135L but can't spend that much....as well as 35L.<br>

Arie: yes, the front element of the 100 macro is a problem...but af is crucial for me in street, because most of the time camera is not in eye level...<br>

Again thanks a lot :)</p>

<p>Thank you all very much, never considered 60mm macro, because i think of moving on to FF in a couple of years, when my rebel gives up.<br>

Paul...that is my dream kit too, love to have the 135L but can't spend that much....as well as 35L.<br>

Arie: yes, the front element of the 100 macro is a problem...but af is crucial for me in street, because most of the time camera is not in eye level...<br>

Again thanks a lot :)</p>

<p>Bob: jep, i thought about it, but the extension during focusing...i don't like that, although i must agree that it is one hell of a lens.<br>

The difference is the thing that is killing me.... </p>

<p>Hello, <br>

the problem is, i am a beginner street photographer, my Sigma 17-70 is quite a joy to use for street photos, but i also love doing some macro work (in summer mostly). So now i am stuck. Now my sigma isn't long enough for my needs...and also at the long end isn't bright enough. <br>

So i am considering to get:<br>

Canon EF 85mm F1.8 - saw a lot of great and sharp pictures, it would be perfect for my street shooting and overall portraits...but bad for macro...<br>

Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro USM - would be perfect for macro but maybe too long for street? I am using 400d after all....<br>

So i am torn apart between two different worlds :D</p>

 

<p>If you have a zoom, try it out on street, then you will see which focal length you are using the most, the buy that prime ;) </p>

<p>If you have a zoom, try it out on street, then you will see which focal length you are using the most, the buy that prime ;) </p>

<p>If you have a zoom, try it out on street, then you will see which focal length you are using the most, the buy that prime ;) </p>