Picture of the Day

Don't get much of this snow/ice stuff in Nashville.  You wouldn't believe how excited we can get unless you live here.  Shot with my cell phone camera.

Project 52 - Week Five

Cell Phone Camera

Video

I have spent most of my week trying to learn a bit about video editing.  I have managed to teach myself all of the software needed for professional photography but I forgot how hard it was in the beginning.  I see cool things that I want to do but am limited by my shoe string budget.  Since I am just starting, I am learning with what came installed on my computer.  Once I figure out what I can use the video stuff for in the photography studio, I am sure I will upgrade quickly.  I have an idea in my head and IF I manage to pull it off, I will post the vid here.  Don't expect it soon though.  The learning curve could take some time.

Camera Choice

Friends, family, and general associates often approach me when they are looking to purchase a new camera. The want to know which one they should buy. My response is always the same....don't know but I am thinking of purchasing a car.....which one should I buy. Both questions make as much sense as the other at face value. It depends! Cameras are nothing more than tools and I wouldn't buy a DSLR if I was going to make pictures of my kids on bdays and holidays. Seems like overkill. Then again, I wouldn't show up to the next wedding with only a point and shoot. You have to purchase the tool that YOU NEED.

If you are getting serious about your photography and you know what EVERY button and menu item on your P&S does, then maybe it is time to move up to a DSLR. It is important to know what the buttons and menu items do on any camera that you have. If you don't know, then how do you know the camera you currently have won't do what you want the new camera to do.


I guess the next most often question is Nikon or Canon. First, if you ask me, there is nothing finer than a Nikon. Just kidding. You should buy whichever brand your photographer buddy has so you can borrow his expensive lenses. Actually, buying which brand your buddy has isn't a bad idea. Forget about his lenses for a minute. If you get the brand that he has, then you have someone to go to when you can't figure out why the camera refuses to fire or throws another curve ball to you.


Most important is the last nugget of knowledge. DON'T buy a top of the line camera of any brand and then skimp on the glass you need to go in front of it. If you have to choose between camera and glass, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS opt for the glass. You are much better off buying a lower end camera with great lens as opposed to buying a great camera and putting cheap glass on it.


Hope this helps...J 

Project 52 - Week Four

Nikon D200 1/800 sec at F2.8 ISO 100

Corporate Shots

So I got a call from a regular client a couple of weeks back. He had taken a senior position at another office and wanted to update all of the employee headshots. Below is somewhat of a typical setup for this type of shoot. I almost always work with small strobes for this type event. They produce good light for a head and shoulders and are a lot less weight than the studio strobes. Setup included sb800 main light, sb600 hair light, sb600 bg light, and a reflector. Lights were set to TTL and fired CLS via a sb800 on camera. ISO 100/250 sec/F5.6/70-200/2.8@70mm.  

And the results straight out of camera.  The BG light was cutoff for this image.

Project 52 - Week Three

Camera Phone Image.  Not to bad for a quasi macro shot.

Push the Bounds

We continue to push the bounds of what traditional photographers offer their clients.  Below is one of those products delivered along with traditional prints.  The kids love having it on their IPod or sharing it through social media.

Video Project

It was over Christmas that this idea came to me. We were at my wife's parents house and her dad was playing so old home movies on the VCR. Most were cookouts or other family get togethers but at the end of one of the tapes was an interview with my wife's grandmother. Someone thought enough to sit her down at the kitchen table, turn on the camera, and get her to basically tell her life story. Be a photographer, the first thing I noticed was the poor lighting quality. Can't help it. It just jumps off the screen at me. Once I got past that, I could see the real value of this piece. The grandmother, long deceased, was captured on this film for future generations to see and hear. I thought of my family and my wife's and knew that I had to put together something honoring the elders of our families. I spoke with my wife and she was all about the idea. There was only one problem. We don't own a video camera. Seems silly in this day and age but I had almost always rather have still images from an event. I managed to talk my sister into borrowing her camera for the project. Problem one solved!


Next was the lighting. Being my usual cheap self, I couldn't reason buying "real" video lights for this one time personal project but I refused to film it with one tungsten bulb in an overhead fixture. A little research led to me these little guys.


I had a small one with a 5 inch or so reflector hanging in the garage and went to Home Depot and picked up another with a 10.5" reflector along with a 150 watt CFL. My first thought was to run the main light thru a diffusion panel to soften the light. Since I like to travel as light as possible, I opted for a small umbrella instead. This allowed me to leave one stand behind. I only needed to modify the main light's reflector by drilling a hole in it to slip the umbrella through. With my main light set, I looked toward the second, smaller light. I used a super clamp and attached it to a 40" extension arm. Using it bare bulb would be ok for a hair/rim light. I went ahead and set everything up in the living room. Looking at the hair light closer led me to think that I had a soft box  that would fit. Low and behold, it was almost as if it were made for it. I just left the hot shoe adapter off and it slipped perfectly over the work light's reflector.


I had a complete three light (a reflector for a third light) setup ready and it only cost me 25 bucks. And since I think photographers are going to have to learn at least a little video to stay competitive in the future, this was a great exercise for someone who has no video experience. I would love to have had a two or three camera setup for the project, but didn't have the software, knowledge, or time to mix the three together properly. Oh yeah, and I was a couple of camera's short. Maybe next time!

Project 52 - Week Two

Ok.  This one surprised even me.  This was shot on New Year's Eve at a friends house.  The amazing part....it was taken with a VERY old Nikon CoolPix 2100.  I just set it to scene view (fireworks) and pointed it upward.  Exposure 4 sec at f5.2.

Picture of the Day

Nikon D200 1/1600 sec @ f1.8 ISO 100 85mm lens

Camera Bags - Beltpacks

Gear heads like myself can never get enough reading material on which piece of gear someone uses and why they chose that particular piece. Before buying any gear I tend to read tons of reviews. A few months back I was on a search for a new beltpack. I love this style of bag when I am shooting sports and weddings. They keep most everything I need right at my fingertips. I already had a Think Tank Airport Acceleration and love it because it is by far one of the most well thought out designs. So I headed to my local camera store to check one out. After an hour in the store and going back and forth between different sizes, I settled with the Speed Freak because of its ability to hold a 70-200/2.8 lens since this lens goes with me 95% of the time.


After the drive back to the office, I began loading up the new bag and trying it on again. That is when the new wore off and I realized my mistake. This bag is freaking huge and when fully loaded I knew I wouldn't be able to carry it on a full day shoot at a wedding or sporting event. When I grab my waist pouch, I am looking to carry a minimal amount of gear. I don't need it to carry every lens in my arsenal. I usually have one extra lens, a flash or two, and vital extras such as cards and batteries. Not much else.


So back to the store I went. I returned the Speed Freak and grab the Speed Demon instead. Only problem was, it wouldn't hold the 70-200. Turns out to be an easy fix with the addition of the Lens Changer 75 Pop Down. Now I can easily expand the bag when I need the additional room but can leave off the extras when I don't need the 70-200.


After several months of use now I can say that I am 100% happy with my purchase. The bag performs as it should and allows me to expand/contract as needed depending on the assignment. Working photogs need gear to make their lives easier and I couldn't be happier with my Speed Demon.

Project 52

So after 20+ years in the photo profession, I am going to make an attempt concentrated effort to actually pull off one photo every week here on the blog.  I thought about one a day and then decided against it.  I know how crazy the spring can get with shooting and I had rather post one good picture each week than some half-ass picture every day.  Stay tuned and we will see how far I can get.  A fair amount if not most of the images will be made with my camera phone.  I like the simplicity and always have that camera with me.  Other times, it could be an image from a recent job.  It shouldn't be hard to figure out which is which.

Happy New Year - Project 52 Week One

Slow Time of the Year

So what do you do during the slow time of the year?  This year we have worked on revamping parts of our web site and researching new ways to market our business.   We already use Google Adwords for targeted marketing but needed something a bit more local and personal.  We decided to approach local real estate offices and offer free head shots.  Yep, I said free.  Actually it will end up costing us money to do the job.  So why would I do that?  To get my name into that section of the community.  We have started shooting real estate pics for advertising and need to spread the word about our new service.  So we are working out the details now with two of the top five agencies already on board for February.  In a tight economy and a slow time of year, you have to get creative with your marketing.