Photography Post Vol. 2

[Boston.]

Kodak Portra 120mm 160VC

[vamks]

Recent camping trip. First shot is of my girlfriend playing guitar. Set my camera to a 6 second exposure and I circled around her flashing my 430.

Second shot was in the middle of the night, when I decided to go take a piss. Saw this and I couldn't resist. 30 second exposure.

[.jacob]

canon 20d. done.

Specs look perfectly fine for what I hope to get out of the camera and I love the price. Used 20D here I come. Thanks for all the input guys. The EFS 18-55 lens is included in a lot of the auctions on eBay. That a fine starting/all-purpose lens?

[captain5640]

Wisie, I like the shots but feel that they would be better without the light painting. Any other opinions? I don't have any experience with it though, so take that for what it's worth.

[Boston.]

Really like this - just wish you had set the tripod up so you could see her face/the guitar - love the way its lit though by both the fire and your flash.

[corter]

Specs look perfectly fine for what I hope to get out of the camera and I love the price. Used 20D here I come. Thanks for all the input guys. The EFS 18-55 lens is included in a lot of the auctions on eBay. That a fine starting/all-purpose lens?

i'd bypass the kit lens and get a 50mm prime, but thats just me. i learned so much more having to make myself move for shots than just twisting a lens...however for general purpose the 18-55 is probably more to your liking.

[Fredo]

I haven't posted for awhile.

[sidneylo]

Specs look perfectly fine for what I hope to get out of the camera and I love the price. Used 20D here I come. Thanks for all the input guys. The EFS 18-55 lens is included in a lot of the auctions on eBay. That a fine starting/all-purpose lens?

No. Fuck no. Stay away from the kit lens.

Go for body only, and get a good prime or entry level priced zoom L glass…I'd recommend the 50 1.4 but at crop it's strictly a portrait lens.

[vamks]

No. Fuck no. Stay away from the kit lens.

Go for body only, and get a good prime or entry level priced zoom L glass…I'd recommend the 50 1.4 but at crop it's strictly a portrait lens.

Great way of discouraging someone from getting the kit. Which I 150% agree with.

Actually going with the 50 isn't a bad idea at all for a newcomer to photography. Yeah, it limits you physically (no zoom), but it requires you to really think about your composition and move around. I'd say go for that route. Its cheap. Giant aperture. Good lense that you'll always keep in your arsenal.

[wisie]

Wisie, I like the shots but feel that they would be better without the light painting. Any other opinions? I don't have any experience with it though, so take that for what it's worth.

Yeah it's a shame as this place is pitch dark with no lights inside so the only option is to light paint with a torch really. Cheers though

[AKMetal]

Specs look perfectly fine for what I hope to get out of the camera and I love the price. Used 20D here I come. Thanks for all the input guys. The EFS 18-55 lens is included in a lot of the auctions on eBay. That a fine starting/all-purpose lens?

I'm just gonna re-affirm what the others have said.. get the 50. It'll make you a better photographer.

couple random ones..

[sidneylo]

Actually going with the 50 isn't a bad idea at all for a newcomer to photography. Yeah, it limits you physically (no zoom), but it requires you to really think about your composition and move around. I'd say go for that route. Its cheap. Giant aperture. Good lense that you'll always keep in your arsenal.

50mm shot at FF is great, but cropped at ~75mm can have it's limitations indoors or in more cramped spaces. Great deal for a lens though.

I'm selling mine if anyone is interested. I shoot strictly with my 35 1.4 nowadays anyway.

[corter]

they also make like a 28 2.8 that i've heard is ok for pretty cheap. or the sigma 30 1.4 is nice, i shot that for a while too.

[sidneylo]

Also you learn to know what to invest in after you shoot a bit, especially if you know you want to jump full frame…otherwise you'll have to go through the painful process of ditching shitty lenses post-ff conversion…I just decided to keep it strictly prime L. Easier that way.

[AKMetal]

strictly prime L? You don't keep a 70-200 2.8L IS in your bag?

[freecat]

i'd also get a 20d/30d (worth the extra money i think, i have one and don't think of upgrading so soon), and a prime lens like a 28 1.8 or 35 2 ... The 50 is too long and will get you frustrated because you won't be able to take every kind of pictures before choosing what you like more.

the kit lens indeed suck, but you can get one for like $50 and by using it a bit you'll see which is your favorite focal length and buy a nice prime according to that. maybe you'll prefer 18 or will want to go further 55mm...

[sidneylo]

strictly prime L? You don't keep a 70-200 2.8L IS in your bag?

I got it because it looks all white and fancy and shit. (5.5)

I used to use it when I worked at Village Voice but it's kind of there when I need a longer lens. The 85 1.2L will be replacing it soon!

[AKMetal]

85 1.2 produces some epic bokeh, some of the best portraits I've ever seen have came from it. That and the 35L. I do all of my portraiture work with the 70-200 though. I don't know if I would sell it though.. it's probably the most versatile lens ever.

[sidneylo]

It's great for knocking the shit out of anyone who ever gives you shit while shooting. Try it. People forget you have weapon in your hand sometimes…

[AKMetal]

Totally true. Thing is so beefy. Pretty indestructible too.

[corter]

on a budget the 85 1.8 has treated me very well. it's my sharpest and most favorite lens, though it gets little use right now with a crop body. however, when full frame time comes, oh baby

[braid]

Hey Sid, I gave Doug the money for your 35mm.

I like your advice to stay with primes over zooms. I figure it's the best bet for the money. I have a 35mm f2 and 50 f1.4 now which should give me all the capability I need for a while.

Doug and I were talking last night and he convinced me I should sell my XSi body and buy 40D since it would only be like a $100-200 differential but I quickly changed my mind after the glaring stare from my girlfriend. Going to have to live with the XSi for at least a couple years but it should be fine to learn on.

I swear I wish I had never seen his 5D or 1D. I can really see some of the awesome features like where it shows you the focus point during playback. My XSi feels like a plastic toy in comparison

[get_mo]

I was asked to shoot promo shots for my friends' new hardcore band last night. Shot these at around 10:30pm, so late haha. Ended up having to use a really ghetto lighting setup: two halogen lamps. Really surprised with how well they worked though.

[eplsoccer7]

Just messing around...

[joelz]

[AKMetal]

EPL soccer, if you want to eliminate that big band/exposure difference in the middle of #3 shoot in manual.

[eplsoccer7]

Yea I do shoot in manual most of the time. Those photos from NYC are pretty old and I wasn't taking them with the purpose of stitching them together.

[Boston.]

I was asked to shoot promo shots for my friends' new hardcore band last night. Shot these at around 10:30pm, so late haha. Ended up having to use a really ghetto lighting setup: two halogen lamps. Really surprised with how well they worked though.

Even with your limitations - these photos don't do the band justice. Having the rock wall fill up part of your vertical frame takes away from their faces without adding much to the external environment. Also it casts really undesireable shadows on the fellow on the left's face which bothers me - especially when the other three members faces look ghost white in comparison in the 2nd pic. With those Halogen lights you could have done a lot of things to make band photos interesting especially since you can have a lot of leeway in technical points for bands because they just want it to look good regardless of blown highlights and overly dark shadows.

Next time try to point the lights at the ceiling rather than directly at the band members. If you're outside try to use a wall and bounce the light off while having them facing the wall. The key to avoiding overexposure and ghostlike faces at night is to not shine direct light at the people in the photo. it looks like one of your lamps was providing backlight which is exactly the right idea - and I like how it illuminates the piping above them but try angling it differently for band shots to get something unique - thats all there really looking for.

Here's a couple I've taken that while nowhere near perfect, at least exemplify what I'm talking about. These guys aren't the most attractive people to take photos of, so you gain the ability to experiment with white balances and over/under expose in under to make it appear as if their style of music is reflected through the photos.

The band is called The New Hotness and they play some legit bass lines. http://myspace.com/thenewhotnessrocks

[jewbagel]

[kromophobic]