Wanna Learn Photography?

[KarenS]

If you can't afford the full version of Photoshop, then I'd recommend getting Photoshop Elements, which is around $100. Paintshop Pro is not a photo editing program and you won't be able to do nearly as much in it as you can with even the "light" version of Photoshop.

Karen

[mrsdrummer]

thanks karen that's what i was thinking.

[Little Angel '77]

Luckest girl
My only comment is that the bride is a bit bigger than the groom. I would suggest, putting him in FRONT of her. Have him spread his legs out a little to lower his height, and have her put her arms over him.

Just a thought.

Check out my blog for my pictures, I am to tired to link :)
I'll link later.

[papergirl]

luckiest:

I am not a photographer so I am hesitant to comment on your photos. Please take my thoughts from the perspective of a consumer.

Your first set of wedding photos are lovely. You captured some great facial expressions and the dress buttoning image is really beautiful.

I don’t like the cake photo. I understand the look you were going for but I feel like it’s missing something. I would have liked to see more of the cake or less of the cake and just the frosted rose. There is something orangey brown that I can’t make out what it is (a rose?). I think by seeing it but not seeing enough to know what it is takes away from the artistic detail of the photo. Does that make any sense?

On the second set of wedding photos I think you did a good job. The bride is heavy, as am I, and I think you did a great job of making her look flattering. It’s something I am always conscious of since I am overweight.

In the second photo where your cousin has the cute face I think the shadows around the brides eyes are keeping this from being a great photo. I don’t know how you can avoid/fix this but if I could see her eyes without the shadow I’d think it was a great shot.

I hope that helps in some way.

Rebecca

[Sunshine]

luckiestgirl~What do you do when a woman wears extremely dark eyeshadow (a lot of it)~I was told both by my make-up artist and a photographer that dark eye makeup would make for a more shadowed face and probably less attractive pictures.....maybe just mention it and if the bride still wants dark makeup, it is just up to her and then at least you wouldnt have to worry about it!

[KarenS]

So....what do you do if something happens to the pictures & they are ruined, lost in the mail, etc. Has anyone ever had this happen? Should I be writing something up in my contract? I just get way too nervous at weddings because of this fact so am thinking of not doing them anymore just because I don't know what I would do if anything went wrong. These are the exact reasons why a professional carries back up gear, makes multiple backups of files, and carries a s**t-load of insurance to protect both herself and her clients.

In 14+ years of doing weddings I have had exactly one that was ruined through my own incompetence. It taught me a very hard lesson. Now when I shoot a wedding I carry 3 cameras, multiple lenses and flashes, a device to backup files as the cards come out of my camera, burn DVDs as soon as I can, and carry $1million in insurance.

If you are going to shoot anything professionally, then it is incredibly negligent to not have insurance at the very minimum.

Karen

[deliciousjones]

ditto on what karen said. i don't shoot weddings, so i don't have a huge need for that much insurance (portraits can be reshot, weddings cannot).

but i carry a backup body, backup lenses, backup batteries, several memory cards. better safe than sorry.


"a device to backup files as the cards come out of my camera,"

that sounds clever. what kind of device?

[KarenS]

that sounds clever. what kind of device?They actually don't make them anymore ... it's called a Tripper and it's really just a 40GB laptop hard drive in a case with a very simple bios system that allows you to copy CF cards.
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2003-03-20/goods_nextsiteretail-1.jpg

What I will probably replace it with in the next year or so is one of these - made by the same people, called an Image Bank:
http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/core/media/media.nl?id=1558&c=ACCT139057&h=5aa36e19f3b7ba5adc8d

[papergirl]

luckiest.. My wedding photographer actually told me in the final pre-wedding meeting that I should avoid using a lot of dark make-up around the eyes. I like drama and still went for a deep color and full on false lashes but I knew that this might be an issue with the final product. In the end it wasn't a problem but I knew going into the day that I might have fewer great shots of me for this reason.

Maybe it's something you can comment on?

[LyLMyssChaos]

So glad I found this thread. I am a total shutterbug, although not a very artistic one. I tend to take much better, how shall I put it, candid, real-life shots. And I do so much better with people than I do things, if that makes any sense. A lot of people tell me that I have a knack for "catching that certain expression" in someone's eye. I used to work so well with a 35mm, but about 2 years ago, we were given an Olympus Camdia Digital Camera D-40Zoom 4.0Megapixel and my shot quality has gone way down, mostly because it takes so stinking long for the shutter to close and the camera to actually "take the picture" that my subject (usually a small child) tends to move before I get my shot. Any suggestions on how to speed up my shutter speed if that is even how I correct that issue?
Also, we recently purchased an Epson Stylus CX6600 printer, is this okay for printing out pictures for home use, or am I better off shipping them out to someone to have them printed out, and any suggestions for the home digital photographer as far as papers and such? Sorry if these have been answered, I haven't had a chance to read through the thread yet, I was just so excited to see it existed! :o

[emschwar]

LMC - with point and shoot digitals, the shutter delay is always pretty bad, I think. My digital SLR has really no noticable delay, but I think that's just the downside of the point and shoot digitals. Sorry!

Also, I've found the best way to get good prints from a home printer is to use the same brand printer as the paper.

[KarenS]

Any suggestions on how to speed up my shutter speed if that is even how I correct that issue? Nope, sorry! :) What you're talking about is not a slow shutter speed, but what's referred to as "shutter lag". It means that there's a delay between the time you press the shutter button and the time the shutter actually fires. All point-n-shoot cameras have shutter lag - both film and digital - although the digital ones seem to have a longer shutter lag. It's primarily because of the structure of a point-n-shoot camera with it's electronic shutter. An SLR - whether film or digital - is not going to have that lag. So the only solution to it really is to upgrade to a digital SLR like a digital Rebel or the Nikon N50 or the like.

Also, we recently purchased an Epson Stylus CX6600 printer, is this okay for printing out pictures for home use, or am I better off shipping them out to someone to have them printed out, and any suggestions for the home digital photographer as far as papers and such?Honestly as far as I'm concerned, you're going to get better, less expensive prints by taking them to a lab than you are printing at home. Printing at home is hit or miss w/ regard to color and quality unless you're prepared to go the whole route of color calibrating your monitor to your printer and learning a little bit about color management. Just find a lab that does good work - even one online - and take your files there for printing. It'll save you money and time in the long run.

I highly recommend http://www.mpix.com - it's the consumer division of my professional lab and they do a really good job.

Karen

[Koala_Gurl]

I don't have a picture online yet to show an example (working on it), but thought you "pros" would know what I am talking about!

I know using really fast (right term?) film isn't great for quality, but sometimes may be necessary in low light conditions where the fastest possible shutter speed is needed (my example...riding Its a Small World at Disneyland!)

So, I set my camera (Canon 20D) to ISO 1600, and got some great shots (i'll post later), BUT there are a few with some funky light "shadows" (for lack of a better word." I don't remember seeing these colors with my eyes, but have some colors showing up where I didn't think there should be colors. (Gosh, that is not very descriptive, LOL!!!) If you know what I am talking about great, if not, I'll be back with my example!! :) (I have a bunch to upload so its taking a while...)

[KarenS]

Is there someplace special to get photography insurance???It isn't really "photography" insurance. It's small business general liability and errors and omissions. Any insurance agent that handles small business should be able to quote you a policy. There is a firm that specializes in coverage for photographers - they add on things like equipment coverage out of the studio, etc. They're at http://www.hillusher.com

Expect to pay ~$800 - $1200 a year depending on how much equipment you have to insure and what your levels of liability are.

[kcgray]

Can someone tell me, does the Canon Rebel XT come with a ummm memory card? I don't remember seeing that it does. My hubby asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I quickly replied "Canon Rebel XT 8.0 megapixel". I've been eyeing the Rebel since I started scrapbooking 2 years ago. I hope I'm not getting in over my head as I've always had the point and shoot cameras. Thank goodness there are threads like this one. I love this thread.

Happy Friday

Trina

[KarenS]

Depending on wher eyou buy it from, it might come with a CF card or a microdrive, but I would ask/check when you buy it. I would suggest buying another one anyway, just to have an extra.

Karen

[Sunshine]

Sunshine~Thanks!! I told her that but she didn’t believe me!!!!
Bumble~Thanks. I did tell her, she still chose to wear it though...then made comments how dark her eyes were later!!!

Then I would have just reminded her that you DID mention that the photographs might look darker around the eyes b/c of the makeup and leave it at that! I wouldnt worry if you did mention it!
You DID do a Great job:)
GL!

[emschwar]

Our rebel xt (from costco) didn't come with a card.

[bkitt]

Hey, this is a great thread! I just learnt a whole bunch of great stuff just from the first page. Will definitely be reading more, thanks so much for the info!

[kcgray]

thanks for the info you guys. I'm pretty sure DH will get the camera for my birthday which is in 2 weeks. So I'll just get another card just in case. Men are pretty good about getting everything to go with electronics(at least mine is) so he might get the card for me, in that case I'll just have 2. I'm excited I can't wait.

Thanks for the help.

Trina

[Maria]

I'm coming out of lurkerdom!

Since becoming a mommy last year, I've been taking tons and tons of photos, and I really want to improve my technique, etc. I'll never be a professional, but I it's my favorite hobby.

So I have a question. We're hosting a Halloween party for my Mommy & Baby Friends group, and I want to set up some kind of backdrop in our back yard for photos. I was thinking about getting some Halloween-y fabric and draping it on the fence, and then having some pumpkins and some hay or something to have near the babies for photos.

What colors would be good for the backdrop? It will be late in the day, but probably still a little sunny. I just don't know enough to consider how distracting a backdrop can be. Light colors, dark colors, patterns, I'm confused!

Any help at all will be appreciated!

I just love this thread, and I'm looking forward to devoting more time to being involved here.

I'm going to try to post a photo I took at a pumpkin patch last week...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/mechris/IMG_1661.jpg

[KarenS]

Honestly I'd ditch the backdrop and go with the pumpkins and the fence as a background.

The thing is that most amateur photographers tend to go overboard on the props and the backgrounds and everything else and wind up creating a mishmash of color and texture that overwhelms the subject of the photo. Some of the best photographers in the world use no props, and nothing but a plain black or white background which focuses all the attention on the subject. Take cues from them - keep your backgrounds and props as simple as possible - especially while you're learning.

Remember that you're photographing the child. The props should be secondary; a few pumpkins are fun. A lot of stuff surrounding the child is not. :)

Good luck with your plans - sounds like fun. Post some photos when you're done!

Karen

[Maria]

Karen,

Boy, you just relieved a lot of stress! :D You're absolutely right- the babies and the pumpkins will make the photos, and I really don't want that mishmash of colors & textures.

Now I can concentrate on the food. ;)

I knew this was the right place to ask!

[greenbunny]

I have a question, I'm really puzzled.

DH and I took a few pics of ourselves dressed up before we left for a wedding. Nothing fancy, just for so. We used a tripod and remote control on the camera. Everything was set to autoadjust, we didn't fiddle with any settings. Yet some of the pictures got blurry and some didn't. I only took about three or four.

We did not move our bodies (other than to lift my arm to aim the remote, then put it back at my side) or change the lighting, so does anyone have any idea why that would happen?

[KarenS]

It's hard to tell for sure w/out seeing the images, but it's possible that the camera re-focused between shots and that's why you're seeing some with blur and some without.

Karen

[Sand]

Maria, delurking to add:

Watch whats behind the fence in your photo. (Ex: a neighbors doghouse, a satellite dish, litter on a side street, a tree that will look like its growing out of a childs head, etc...) Take a test shot to make sure you will like the end result before you shoot the finals.

eta: from your nicely composed pumpkin shot, i'm sure you'll do fine! :)

[Sunshine]

Did you put the cover over the view finder? (Just throwing out thoughts, not sure if that would matter or not)

[Phen]

I have a question...is it possible for memory cards to go bad quickly? I got a new camera (digital point-and-shoot) in July and a new 256 mb memory card at the same time. Admittedly, I take a freakin' LOT of photos--mainly of my kids--but in the past few weeks, I've had some weird photos occur, randomly. It's definitely the image from the memory card that's screwy. see?
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce39b3127cce94f805cdba1f00000016108QZN2TNm4bQ

I am hoping y'all will say something like "that shouldn't happen to a brand-new memory card; write to the company and they'll send you a new one." :D

~ Phen

edited to add: It's a Lexar memory card, if that helps.

But you know, I'm wondering now if it could be the camera (Canon PowerShot A95)...it has been refusing to focus properly while in portrait mode (focuses on background instead of subject in foreground) for months now, and fights me on practically every little thing. D'ya think it's the camera and not the memory card?

[KarenS]

Memory cards do go bad, but it's pretty rare and I've never seen one go bad with that result. Given that image, I think it was the camera, not the card, especially if you're having other problems with the camera anyway.

Karen

[mynn]

Before you go laying out bucks for the camera (and check with your credit card company, they might be able to help you verify when it was purchased, as would their check of what serial numbers were sent where and when - that's how I got warranty coverage on the Washer Dryer combo I bought used):

Look online for updated software drivers for your camera, but first take the whole camera and card to a photo place or drugstore that can read the pix off of the card directly; pay for a cd and or prints and see if they look bad.

Another option might be to buy an inexpensive card reader to read your card directly (might come with software).

I had oodles of problems with the software that came with my Kodak years ago; I ended up getting a reader that bypassed the Kodak software and have never used camera-branded software since (yeah, helps that my hubby is a geek).

But a cheap check-out of the hardware at a shop that can read cards is in order, then try messing with the drivers (my buddy B at work recently updated her Windows software and Windows and Canon got in a fight that made her upgrade bork her Canon software; she had to hack the registry to make it work right).

Good luck, hon.

[Sand]

phen, my guess is the camera since the whole image is there, just not 'written' correctly. But i'm only guessing. Dumb question, but do you have another card, or a friend with the same type of card that you can test with?

[Phen]

Thanks, Karen. No offense, but I hope you're wrong! I don't know if I could bear being separated from my camera if it has to go to be repaired.

Was looking at the literature that came with the camera today and it looks like there is a separate card reader available for it, Mynn. So I might try that (in addition to the battery suggestion). :)

Yes, Sand, I have the original card (a lousy 25mb one) that came with the camera, but it is so maddening how I can only get a dozen photos on it before it fills up! grrr.

Thanks, y'all. :)

~ phen

[KarenS]

I don't see any need to buy a specialty card reader. If you want to check the card itself, then you can buy a card reader at any computer store (heck at WalMart) for around $15 or so. It'll just plug into your USB port and then you can drag and drop files.

Also if you have a friend with a digital camera, put your card in his or her camera and shoot some images. See if any of them come up with the same problem.

Karen

[Little Angel '77]

just thought I would add, if you have a lot of pictures to unload, you might want to invest in a higher end card reader :)
That way you aren't waiting forever for images to transwer. In photography, every second you can save counts :)

[greenbunny]

I've been reading Understanding Exposure and frankly, I'm getting discouraged. I have always been an English person, and this is seriously mathy stuff. (I test at an advanced English level, but a remedial math level.) I don't see how I'll ever remember this stuff. If I can sit and pore over the book, I can fiddle until I change the settings to what I want, but I need to be able to do it on the fly. It's like how I quit piano because after eight years I still could only memorize stuff, not sightread.

I am also frustrated with my camera (an Olympus C3000). A lot of what the book is asking me to do for exercises, my camera doesn't seem capable of. It asks me to apply settings that are larger or smaller than the scope of my camera. And even for simple weekend "driving around" picture-taking, I don't have enough zoom to do what I want.

I feel like I'm in a catch-22: I don't want to buy a new camera until I've mastered the basic skills so I know what I want to buy, but I can't seem to practice these skills with my current camera.

[KarenS]

've been reading Understanding Exposure and frankly, I'm getting discouraged. I have always been an English person, and this is seriously mathy stuff. (I test at an advanced English level, but a remedial math level.)Hello, Me! :) I totally understand what you're saying - I'm the exact same way. I know a whole ton of phtographers and I find that they fall (generally) into two camps: There are techies who know the technical stuff down cold and can make a perfectly exposed, perfectly lit, perfectly perfect image every time but sometimes lack something in the artistic/creative area. Then there are the artists who really struggle with the technical and they turn out really artistic images that are sometimes not always technically perfect. The second would be me.

The thing about learning exposure is - and I know several people on this board will confirm this - that you can struggle and struggle and struggle with it and one day it just ... clicks. It's like when you're learning to diagram a sentence and you look at it one day and say "duh ... of course!" :)

I also think you're at the point where your camera is seriously limiting your ability to learn. I don't think you should put off buying a new one becuase you're going to find yourself in a catch-22. It's really really really hard to learn photography from a point n shoot. I'd say nearly impossible. You *need* an SLR to properly learn exposure, IMO. It doesn't have to be an expensive one and you can "trade up" if you feel like it later - but really think about getting an SLR with one basic, decent lens so that you have more control.

And if you have any specific questions about exposure, please ask. I'll be happy to answer them for you - from a History major's perspective, rather than from a math perspective! :)

Karen

[Sand]

Hello, Me! :) I totally understand what you're saying - I'm the exact same way. I know a whole ton of phtographers and I find that they fall (generally) into two camps: There are techies who know the technical stuff down cold and can make a perfectly exposed, perfectly lit, perfectly perfect image every time but sometimes lack something in the artistic/creative area. Then there are the artists who really struggle with the technical and they turn out really artistic images that are sometimes not always technically perfect. The second would be me.

Same here... my friend is very anal about the perfect exposure, and I just shoot.

[Koala_Gurl]

greenbunny - I am a total math person (got my degree in engineering.) BUT, with my point & shoot, I definitely could NOT learn anything.

I have been reading UE too...and only now with my SLR can I actually see difference in the settings (I could change the settings w/ my P&S...but not to see any difference whatsoever!) I think I read in UE that in a P&S, an aperture of say 4 is the equivalent of an 11 with an SLR (or something like that...I don't remember the exact difference, but the gist is that there is a difference!!)

I totally agree with Karen, if you are serious about learning, I would get an SLR camera. I got the Canon 20D, and while it may be overkill, I can't tell you HOW MUCH my photo taking improved (and that was before I even read UE!!)

While I may be a numbers person, I still need to be able to SEE the difference in the settings.

[MeTheGirlie]

My question is about studio set ups!

I know nothing about lighting, but I do know, I'd like to invest in a Studio set up...backdrop and lights.

I see a lot of "deals" on ebay, I just don't know what's a "deal" and what's "no deal". For example, the last thing I would want to do is invest in something to only have it limit my progression.

For those photographers that have setups, can you add a bit of advice on what's the best studio set up without breaking the bank?

[KarenS]

Don't buy used. :) I bought my first light kit used and regretted it.

The best way to learn lighting is to start with one light and a reflector. Master that. Then add another light. Then another. Then another. Starting with a full 3 or 4 light portrait setup will make it harder to learn, IMO. Learn to control each light individually first.

I STRONGLY recommend Alien Bees lights. http://www.alienbees.com

This is their basic light:
http://www.alienbees.com/images/b400y.gif

Get the most powerful light you can afford and get a softbox (a large if you can afford it):
http://www.alienbees.com/images/softboxonbee.gif

Start with that.

Karen

[MeTheGirlie]

Thanks for the quick response Karen.

So you don't recommend the lights with the tents? Such as...

http://images.andale.com/f2/110/104/7403334/1127241181939_D180_3ltkit_Usoftbox.jpg

Listing located here. (http://cgi.ebay.com/3-LIGHT-440-W-S-STROBE-FLASH-STUDIO-LIGHTING-KIT-NEW_W0QQitemZ7554688089QQcategoryZ30087QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem#ebayphotohosting)

[MeTheGirlie]

Or this one (http://cgi.ebay.com/PHOTOGRAPHY-PHOTO-STUDIO-LIGHTING-kit-BACKGROUND-STAND_W0QQitemZ7555482198QQcategoryZ3860QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem)? Which comes with a background stand?

[KarenS]

Hee hee .. they're called "umbrellas"! :)

Honestly I think for the money, you're better off buying a piece at a time and buying quality. I'm not saying that these lights aren't ok, but I have never heard of the brand and they seem rather cheap to me. The secondary light is really a nothing light - just a "flash" type light that triggers from the main one.

Edited: you do NOT want the second set. They're what are called "hot lights". They don't flash - they are continuous, *very* powerful lights. They're called "hot lights" for a reason! :) Stick with strobes!

Karen

[MeTheGirlie]

Thanks for the input, I definitely agree with you.

[MeTheGirlie]

So, you would buy this light:


http://www.alienbees.com/images/b400y.gif

With a stand:

http://www.alienbees.com/images/ls3050.gif
The 10-foot General Purpose Stand

and an umbrella?

http://www.alienbees.com/images/swsquare.jpg

Silver White Reversible Umbrellas

?????

[MeTheGirlie]

No reflector?

[KarenS]

Yes, exactly. Light, stand, umbrella to start. I'd definitely get a reflector ... as big a one as you can afford. You can do *beautiful* work with one light and a reflector.

Karen

[greenbunny]

Thanks, Karen and Koala Gurl...I guess at this point I need to seriously consider a new camera. Now I just need to decide what to buy.

I'm inclined to buy something over my head at the moment--I really intend to put serious time and effort into this, because it's my one hobby I'm really passionate about. I'd prefer to "grow into" a camera, rather than buy a learner and have to spend more and start over in the near future.

I'm definitely open to buying used...a local family shop deals in used, and I've seen what, to my untrained eye, looks like nice stuff there.

I have no interest in doing weddings or portraits. I concentrate on landscapes and wildlife--mostly I want to take quality, framable shots of vacation scenery for our home. If, by some stretch of the imagination, anyone is ever interested in purchasing prints I would be open to the option, but I do not want to be a scheduled "session" type of photographer. Based on that usage, can you recommend where to start looking at camera models?

[KarenS]

Based on the fact that you want to do landscape and nature, I'd suggest you look at a Canon 20D or, if you can afford it, the Canon 5D (the advantage of the 5D is that it's a full frame sensor and it's a bigger file, which will help in enlarging). The 20D a good mid-range pro-sumer camera (I posted more about Canon's range of cameras in another thread - I'll see if I can link it) and will give you the flexibility you need to grow.

Mostly once you get into the well made SLR arena, the body is the least important part of the equation. As you progress as a photographer the lenses will be crucial to you. Landscape and nature photographers tend to use very wide angle lenses and very long lenses and not much in the middle range (as opposed to wedding/portrait photogs who work a lot in the 50mm, 85mm, 100mm range.

Also as time goes on, you'll want the fastest lenses (i.e. the ones that have the widest apertures) you can buy. A lens with a maximum aperture of 2.8 is better than 3.5. One with 1.4 is even better. Of course the faster the lens, the more expensive it is, but they're worth it when you're shooting in those sunset/sunrise sweet-light conditions.

I'd also invest in a really high quality tripod with a ball head. Most landscape photographers I know live and die by their tripods - again shooting in low light, needing more stability, etc.

Also, just for fun, if you're really interested in nature photography as a serious hobby and maybe some side income, I'd STRONGLY recommend a subscription to Outdoor Photographer magazine (http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/). It's an amazing magazine with a lot of information that the hobbiest can use, but also geared towards pro nature photographers as well. You'll learn a lot about what equipment the pros use and how they shoot. I have subscribed to it for 15+ years now and I can't see ever giving up my subscription. The photography is amazing and the information is invaluable. (ETA: You can sign up for 2 free issues off the website and then cancel your subscription after that!)

Karen

[MeTheGirlie]

which umbrella would you recommend?

[Sunshine]

and for the umbrellas...what would the difference be for 32,48 or 60" sizes?
They only seem to be $10 difference between them, so would it be best to go large, or would you use a larger one for something different than a smaller?

[KarenS]

Hm .. how to explain this w/out getting too technical! :)

The larger the light source, the softer your light will be. A small light source creates what's called a "specular" light - a very tightly focused, bright pinpoint of light. A larger light source creates a wider spread of light that is therefore softer.

Try this: take a desk lamp with a narrow shade that you can point directionally: hold your hand under it about 6" away. Now slowly pull your hand away from the light until you're about 2 ft away. Do you see how the light spreads across your hand? That's the difference between a small umbrella/bulb/softbox and a large one.

Also some things to keep in mind are that metallic reflectors/umbrellas are going to provide a "stronger" (more specular) light than a white one. A silver metallic will be colder, and a gold metallic will be warmer. I personally would go with a plain white reflector and a plain white umbrella (preferrably an umbrella with a removable black backing) to start with.

Karen

[Sunshine]

Hm .. how to explain this w/out getting too technical! :)
Karen

Oh, Thank you very much! That makes alot more sense to me now:D

[games]

Hi Karen, I have a Q for you or for anyone else that might know.

I used a flash filter when I shot some night pictures last Saturday. I set my camera on "P" and shot away. My Q is should I have taken the filter off of the flash to get the most light out of the flash considering that it was dark outside? I haven't picked up the pictures from the lab, and I'm nervous about the possibility of having ruined the shots.

Thanks,
Alex

[ManteoChik]

Phen I was back reading to catch up on some things I've missed and I saw your post about wanting to know if a card can go bad....the answer is YES! I was just at a lecture for photographer Greg Gorman and while there I was talking to the Canon Rep. for Central Florida. He made an announcement that Lexar ( I *think* it was Lexar) had recalled a particular card b/c of a defect that was causing the card to loose all memory. One minute your pictures would be there, and the next they wouldn't. Not sure if that would have anything to do with the way your image comes out...it could just be your camera but I would at least take your card to a photo store and have them check it out. I can't remember the particular model # but anyone at a photo store should be able to tell you.

[KarenS]

I used a flash filter when I shot some night pictures last Saturday. I set my camera on "P" and shot away. My Q is should I have taken the filter off of the flash to get the most light out of the flash considering that it was dark outside?It's really hard to say without having any more information on the lighting conditions, how you were shooting, etc. In general if you're going to use a light modifier on your flash, you need to boost your flash output by anywhere from 1/2 to 1 full stop.

I saw your post about wanting to know if a card can go bad....the answer is YES!Oh absolutely, nothing is infallable. It's entirely possible for a card to go bad - but the image posted was not, IME representative of a bad car. Usually when a card goes bad a portion of the image (or entire images) are missing or corrupted. An image like the one posted where there is variable exposure or a dark part of the image or something like that is most likely not a faulty card and more a problem with the camera or the exposure or both.

Karen

[ManteoChik]

Oh absolutely, nothing is infallable. It's entirely possible for a card to go bad - but the image posted was not, IME representative of a bad car. Usually when a card goes bad a portion of the image (or entire images) are missing or corrupted. An image like the one posted where there is variable exposure or a dark part of the image or something like that is most likely not a faulty card and more a problem with the camera or the exposure or both.

I was pretty sure that the card was not to fault for the way her picture turned out. I just wanted to let everyone know about the recall on the Lexar Card. I would have never known if the Canon Rep hadn't told me.

[Koala_Gurl]

Karen

Would this be a good set to get (lighting?)

http://www.alienbees.com/beginner.html

[KarenS]

Koala Gurl - I definitely would recommend that set. Add a reflector and it would be a perfect learning kit.

Karen

[Koala_Gurl]

It says the lights come with a standard 7" reflector. Is there a different one I should get?

[KarenS]

Oh, no, sorry. Different kind of reflector. The reflector they're talking about is the one that surrounds the light:
http://www.alienbees.com/images/bee7abr.gif

What I mean by an additional reflector is something like this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/items/112020.jpg
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=112020&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

You want to get the largest one you can afford. The point of a reflector is to ... well ... reflect the light back towards your subject. Reflected light is softer than direct light ... so if you put your main light (your Alien Bee) on one side, and the reflector in the other, you'll get a nice soft fill light.

Karen

[Koala_Gurl]

OK, that makes better sense! I was originally thinking of those things that look like sun shades for the car...but when I looked at that site I got confused. :)

That's what this reflector is like, right? Do I need a stand for the reflector? I am trying to think of the portrait studio I have been taking DD to, but I think they only have been using one light.

[Koala_Gurl]

All this talk about lighting has started me thinking of doing baby shots for me & friends (especially after I see what the studio I am going to charges for the prints...) I have seen the prices at Mpix.com, and I know I have gotten some pretty decent shots myself...it kills me to pay so much (though I do LOVE the work they are doing...but lets say that buying some basic equipment would pay for itself pretty quickly...)

[KarenS]

(especially after I see what the studio I am going to charges for the prints...) I have seen the prices at Mpix.com, and I know I have gotten some pretty decent shots myself...it kills me to pay so muchOk, I'll warn you in advance that this is a pet peeve of mine.

But please think about this. You're going to set up a studio to do custom photography of your friends and family to charge them less because the *discount* studios (chains, etc.) charge too much?

Have you seriously thought about what it's going to cost you to provide this service to people?

Do you have insurance? If you're shooting around children, you'd better have insurance. What happens if one of the little darlings gets rambunctous and pulls a light stand over on herself? What happens if they trip on your backdrop and fall down and break an arm? What happens if they trip over the backdrop, fall against your camera and it smashes to the floor? How are you going to replace gear and pay for medical bills if that happens? Insurance will cost you anywhere from $600 to $1500 a year, depending on how much you get and what kind of equipment you insure.

Next: lets talk about the cost of your gear. You're going to spend $900 on lights and backgrounds (or about that, given what we've discussed). Plus you have probably close to a couple thousand dollars in camera gear. Which will have to be maintained and replaced periodically if you are shooting in volume - cleanings aren't cheap - a couple hundred dollars to have a body and a lens cleaned and serviced.

Plus your computer equipment: if you start processing images on a larger scale, you'll probably need to upgrade your computer at least with more memory. You'll need to be able to burn DVDs or CDs for backups and to provide extra hard drive space to store images while you're processing them. You'll need PhotoShop ($700 for the program) and probably some kind of image cataloging software as well.

Plus the cost of your marketing materials. Even if you only go with some inexpensive business cards and some basic computer printed price sheets, the cost adds up.

Plus - and here's the clincher - your time. Your time to:
Figure yoru prices
Take phoen calls and schedule sessions
Shoot sessions (and reschedule and shoot sessions due to crying kids, sick kids, etc.)
Edit sessions
Figure out some way to present the order to the parents (proof prints, online proofing, slide show, ???)
TAke orders
Edit orders including retouching and uploading print orders
Get the orders back, quality check them, package them nicely and ship them off.

How much time do you think you'll put into the average session? I'll tell you right now for every hour you shoot, you'll put in 3-4 hours minimum in post production and paperwork and client "schmoozing" time. When you're first getting started and figuring out your workflow, it'll probably be more like 5-8 hours per session.

So what will you charge? A $25 sitting fee and, oh, say $4 per print? So someone orders 10 8x10, that's $65 right? But wait, $25 of that is the cost of the 8x10s. Plus $5 for shipping. Now you're down to $35. Oops .. you know when you're self employed, Uncle Sam takes 40% for income and self employment tax (social security). Now you're down to $21 for the whole session. If you only put in 3 hours on this client, all time included (shooting, ordering, processing orders, processing proofs) - you've just made $7/hr. Might as well go flip burgers at McDonalds for that, right?

Not to mention if you start charging for photos, you ARE running a business. There's a sales tax permit, a business license, tax paperwork periodically, maintaining your accounts so that come time to pay the IRS you know what you owe.

So that's not counting the time you'll put in every month filing your sales tax paperwork, and the time you'll put in every quarter filing your self employment tax paperwork, and the time you put in balancing the checkbook and talking to people who want to know what your prices are, but decide not to book you.

And aside from *all* of that ... what about your talent? Are you able to get a great photo of kids? Are you able to take a technically accurate (for the most part) image that parents love? Is that worth anything? Do you deserve to be paid at least something other than fast-food wages for that talent?

Think about it. I don't mean to be harsh, but I get really really realy really really tired of hearing this from people: Oh I love the work, but I know I can do the same thing and charge less. No, really, you can't. It's going to take you some time to learn to use lights properly and after that do you really want to give away all that hard learned knowledge for $7 an hour?

Really think about what's involved. If you decide to do it, I can put you in touch with some wonderful resources that will help you to truly become a professional properly and to learn how to figure out what your time and skill are worth. But don't just think that the $2.50 Mpix charges is all there is too it ... because it's not.

Karen

[MeTheGirlie]

Such a wealth of information Karen! Thanks so much for your help (I thought you meant the first reflector as well)

[MeTheGirlie]

I have to say I completely agree with Karen's philosophy - I know the work involved in the client relationship/production/sessions and typically I charge more than quite a bit of my competitors for my services - that's just the way to cookie crumbles. I don't shortchange myself with anything, and I have 12 years experience.

Ethically, you don't want to sell services cheap as it devalues the trade.

The way I see it, (based on my choice of a wedding photographer 4 years ago), people pay for the "experience" (not necessarily meaning "years" of experience but the overall "experience" of working with a photographer, and quality, I would say - instead of selling work cheaply, sell it along the lines of what a pro photographer would charge if you are able to get your skills to the same level. Then the added bonus would be doing shoots for people you know which would of course give them value added comfortable experiences with you.

[Koala_Gurl]

Don't worry!! I was really just kinda speaking out of my you-know-where!!

I have a lot more respect for the art & business than my post let on. :) Karen, if I ever really got into the business, I would definitely take it very seriously. :)

[greenbunny]

Thanks for the model recs, Karen, I will start looking there. In general, you feel that Canon is the brand to go with, I take it?

I have to say that I agree about pricing for professionals (not that the OP wasn't taking it seriously, this is more a general vent). As a writer and musician I get so tired of hearing how easy what we do is and why we don't deserve much money. Like birthday and bar gigs are such easy money. Right. We practice four hours a week, lug hundreds of pounds of stuff around, set up, breathe in a ton of smoke, get grabbed indecently by drunken bar hoppers, get cursed at for not playing a bunch of Dave Matthews or Nickelback or whatever the 3-chord crew of the month is, break down, lug the same hundreds of pounds away, go home, shower the strench out of our hair, and fall into bed at 4 AM. Yeah, splitting $350 between five of us is way too much money for that. Not that we actually see any of it, since we need a new mixer. *grrr*

[deliciousjones]

Can I just say a bit DITTO?

Oh I love the work, but I know I can do the same thing and charge less. No, really, you can't.

I had this attitude a couple of years ago. Not so much the desire to undercut the competition, but wanting to do what I loved and not being so concerned about making a huge profit.

My session and print prices are low for my area. I have lower than average overhead since I shoot on location and haven't yet invested in a studio setup. Even still, once I pay the government, the insurance company, my savings account (because on-location photographers dont have many options in january), the lab and myself, there's not a whole lot left.

[KarenS]

Heh. Thanks for taking my rant in the spirit it was meant! :)

In general, you feel that Canon is the brand to go with, I take it?Well, in general my opinion is that for the long term you can't go wrong with either Nikon or Canon - they're both well established brands with a strong history and an excellent reputation. I was a Nikon shooter for (mumble) years before I switched to Canon! Since I was 15, to be precise - I'll let you figure out how many years that was. :)

The reason I switched to Canon is that *I* felt they were doing a better job of keeping up with mid-range professional needs. Nikon has great *high* end pro cameras (like for photojournalists and sports shooters) and great *low* end consumer cameras ... but their offerings for the mid range pro for wedding and studio work just wasn't there. Canon, however, seems to have really taken the needs of the wedding/studio shooter to heart and put a lot of time and energy into that mid-range pro area. Probably 90% of the wedding pros I know shoot Canon - which was another huge impetus for me. I shoot with people all the time and knowing that our gear is compatible is really helpful. if we need to swap lenses or if I want to grab their camera really quickly I don't have to do a whole mental switch between systems just to fire off a quick shot.

Also, and this probably is less relevant to non-professional shooters, is that Canon's professional services group is much more wedding/studio friendly. Nikon's professional services application process favors commercial/journalism work over any other kind of professional work, and it's much harder to get into if you're not a published photojournalist. Canon recognizes that there are different application and verification criteria for a working studio/wedding photog and structures their applications accordingly.

So for *me* right now, I'm in the Canon camp. Who knows - in a few years I may move back to Nikon. :) About a lot of stuff I'm pretty brand loyal - but about camera gear it's more important to me that I can get what I need and get it fast.

That's probably far more information than you need - but I felt like typing today! :)

Karen

[Sunshine]

I just wanted to thank you all for the Great information that is being posted in this thread lately! It has really cleared some things up for me:D
THANKS!

[MeTheGirlie]

Koala Hope you didn't think I was attacking you - I was just posting in response to something I hear quite often in "my" industry, and connecting it with this friendly discussion.

I have a Nikon N-70 (and recently bought the Cannon Digital Rebel XT) - the N-70 is excellent, but I really wanted to get "instant" results to see what I am doing right/wrong.

Karen, in your opinion, I should still keep that N-70 as well, correct?

[Koala_Gurl]

I didn't intend to say that I could do the same job as a pro. I know I can't & I would need to PAY people to let me take their picture at this point. :)

I hope I didn't offend anyone, I truely didn't mean to! My original comment really came after I paid $800 for 3 prints (not including sitting fee.) While I really appreciate the art of photography, I think I was just a little shocked by the price of the prints. I still paid it, and am happy with the prints (I do appreciate the time, effort, overhead, etc.)

[Koala_Gurl]

MetheGirlie - no worries! I didn't feel attacked! I just wanted any others reading along to get the wrong idea! I am glad everyone posted their thoughts because I agree with you all.

I reread my original post and I can see how it was taken, but we all know the beauty of e-mail / messages, etc...tone isn't there (and in my case, neither was context!) :)

Karen - Your welcome! :) I am here to learn and you have already provided so much valuable info!

[games]

It's really hard to say without having any more information on the lighting conditions, how you were shooting, etc. In general if you're going to use a light modifier on your flash, you need to boost your flash output by anywhere from 1/2 to 1 full stop.

Well, the only light source was coming from white twinkling lights which were wrapped around nearby trees. Oh, there were DJ lights too--those were mainly the colored lights and didn't put out too much light.

What do you mean "how you were shooting, etc." I set the camera to "P" and loaded it with 400 film.

Would you give me an example of what you mean when you say to boost the flash output from 1/2 to 1 full stop.

Thanks for your help.

[greenbunny]

I was a Nikon shooter for (mumble) years before I switched to Canon!

Tee hee. I would never presume to guess! :)

I have more questions. I know I'm insufferable. I wouldn't blame you for requesting payment at this point.

I have a lot of shots I took over the past few weeks (*cough* years) that, on my screen, look a lot darker or lighter than I thought they were. I’ve gotten some back from printing and been dismayed at how much I over- or underexposed them. I realize that I've been relying solely on the camera screen to gauge my shots, which isn't smart or helpful. Yet I know that monitor settings differ as well, so that’s hardly an accurate measure.

Is the histogram the way you generally know whether your shot is within the brightness you want? Or are there other methods you also use, depending on the situation?

I also find that what I see within view when I look into the camera is not exactly even with the actual picture. I may edge to the left to avoid someone’s elbow, for example, and think it’s no longer in view, and yet the photo when downloaded will still have the elbow in it. Is that normal?


I often feel sheepish that I might be asking really simple stuff that's been explained before. Perhaps whoever is an expert in the field might consider copying and pasting relevant items into a FAQ on the first page of this thread? Just an idea.

[KarenS]

Well, the only light source was coming from white twinkling lights which were wrapped around nearby trees. ... What do you mean "how you were shooting, etc." I set the camera to "P" and loaded it with 400 film. How you were shooting incorporates a lot of stuff! :) The lighting information, which you gave me. The ISO you were using - which you said was 400 speed. What kind of aperture and shutter speed were you getting - do you remember? And what your flash was set at - TTL, manual, etc. All of that would give me a better idea on knowing whether or not you were getting a good exposure.

Would you give me an example of what you mean when you say to boost the flash output from 1/2 to 1 full stop. What flash are you using? Depending on the brand of flash, you will have the option to increase or decrease the output of your flash - bump the power up or down, even if you're on an automatic or TTL setting. So for example, when I'm shooting couples dancing on a darkened dance floor and I'm using an omnibounce on my flash, I set my flash to be +1 so that it produces more light to make up for the diffusing effect of the omnibounce. I hope that makes sense .. but feel free to ask me to clarify more if you need me to! :)

I have more questions. I know I'm insufferable. I wouldn't blame you for requesting payment at this pointYes, and my paypal address is ...! :D Nah, no problem. some days I have a lot of time to answer and some days not any. Today is a *slloooowwww* day ... so I can talk about photography to my heart's content!

I have a lot of shots I took over the past few weeks (*cough* years) that, on my screen, look a lot darker or lighter than I thought they were. I’ve gotten some back from printing and been dismayed at how much I over- or underexposed them. I realize that I've been relying solely on the camera screen to gauge my shots, which isn't smart or helpful. Yet I know that monitor settings differ as well, so that’s hardly an accurate measure.There are actually two answers to this question.

The first deals with the exposure of the actual image. As you've found out, relying on the camera screen is not the best way to go. The screens are not calibrated very well and they're also designed to be brighter so that you can see what you're shooting and check for things like composition, placement, etc. Which makes them not at all useful for checking exposure. Except - of course - that as you get used to your particular camera, you do learn to judge whether an image is exposed well or not from the screen just from experience. For example, I know that if an image looks slightly overexposed (say a bridal dress is blown out but the face is not), then it's a properly exposed image. I know that if an image looks perfect in my LCD, then it's *underexposed*. But that's me being able to mentally compensate for the LCD because of hundreds of thousands of shots worth of experience.

The other answer is that your computer monitor is not calibrated to your lab/printer and so even though you may adjust an image on your computer so that it *looks* right, when it prints, it won't reflect the correct settings. In general when you set up a computer monitor right out of the box it is not set to the correct gamma or brightness for judging photographs. The absolute best way to know if you're going to get good results is to use a commercial monitor profiling device like a Spyder to calibrate your monitor. The one linked below is not the pro version - this one sells for $169 on Amazon. The pro version (which has extra features that most people won't need) sells for $269:
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0006JMILO.01._PE11_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Pantone ColorVision Spyder (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006JMILO/qid=1130266354/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9195198-7926437?v=glance&s=software&n=507846)

Most people who are shooting as a hobby aren't going to need to or want to spend the money on something like that. So the next best option is to ask your lab to provide you with their specifications for calibrating your monitor to match their output. They may provide you with what's called an ICC profile which you can apply to your images in PhotoShop or they may give you a "match print" with a digital file - which basically involves holding the print up to your monitor and adjusting the color, balance, gamma, and brightness settings on your monitor until what you see in the file matches what you see on your screen. You can even create your own "match print" if you want pretty simply. Just have an image printed at your lab and then bring it back and hold it up next to your monitor. Adjust your settings until your monitor image = your print. It may mean that the image on your monitor will look very dark or veyr light (depending) but you'll know that when you adjust it, what you see on the screen will match what comes out of the lab.

Finally, something else you can do is simply do a basic photographic calibration on your monitor. As I said above; a computer monitor right out of the box it is not set to the correct gamma or brightness for judging photographs. This is a great site that will give you the basics and at least get you started in seeing if your monitor is anywhere near properly set:
Dry Creek Photo Monitor Calibration Info (http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/monitor_calibration.htm)

Whew. That was a lot of info! :) So moving on ...

Is the histogram the way you generally know whether your shot is within the brightness you want? Yes, exactly. I very much rely on histograms to judge my exposures. They're actually pretty easy to read, once you get the basic understanding. There's a lot of detail that you can get from a histogram, but really just basic over/under exposed is pretty easy. I could go into a long explanation with examples here, but really there's another site that does it better:
Luminous Landscape's Understanding Histograms (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml)

I also find that what I see within view when I look into the camera is not exactly even with the actual picture. I may edge to the left to avoid someone’s elbow, for example, and think it’s no longer in view, and yet the photo when downloaded will still have the elbow in it. Is that normal?Yep. That's part of what's referred to as your "viewfinder frame coverage". I don't know of a camera on the market that has 100% viewfinder frame coverage. The Canon 20D and the Digital Rebel, for example, have 95% - which means that you'll see 95% of the actual image in the viewfinder. The Canon 5D has 96% vf coverage. The Canon MarkIIs comes closest of any digital camera I know of, with 99% vf coverage. Of course the MarkIIs is an $8k camera! :)

Perhaps whoever is an expert in the field might consider copying and pasting relevant items into a FAQ on the first page of this thread? Just an idea.That's a really good idea, actually. And, if it helps. I run a professional photography board. Most of the boards are restricted to working pros, there is one that is open to the general public and the pro members are more than happy to pop over and answer questions when they come up. PM me if you want the URL (I don't want to post it here in case it might be against Katy's rules!)

Karen

[KarenS]

Karen, in your opinion, I should still keep that N-70 as well, correct?Oops. Missed this one.

Well ... I kept one of my film cameras - a Nikon F100 - because I still like to shoot, develop, and print true b&w prints on fiber paper. So I think if you think there's any possibility that you'll continue to shoot film - or that you want to shoot a combination of digital and film, keeping the N-70 is a good thing.

The only thing I might do in the future is buy a Canon film camera so that my lenses can be used on both my digital and film. Right now my primary investiment in lenses is on the Canon side and I have 1 lens for my film camera - an all purpose zoom. Ideally I'd have everything Canon or everything Nikon so that the lenses and flashes were compatible. But that's just me! :)

Karen

[games]

What kind of aperture and shutter speed were you getting - do you remember? And what your flash was set at - TTL, manual, etc. All of that would give me a better idea on knowing whether or not you were getting a good exposure.

First, thanks for your response, Karen.

Second, no, I don't remember what the aperture or shutter speed were. I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand when you ask if my flash was set at "TTL" or "manual." I know what manual means, but I don't know what TTL means. Also, I didn't know you could set your flash to manual. By the way, I have a Canon 420 EX. I usually just mount it to my camera and turn it on. I don't do anything else to it.

So, when people talk about getting the proper exposure in a picture, they are referring to all those things you listed above -- film, flash, lighting, aperature, shutter speed, etc. Do all things have to be in agreement with one another in order to get the proper exposure of a picture?

You wrote that I should bump the flash up or down whenever I use my omnibounce. Do I just set the camera to P, check to see what my camera is metering the shot at and then open up the aperture half a stop or one whole stop to let in more light? Am I understanding that right?

Again, thanks for your help.

[KarenS]

So, when people talk about getting the proper exposure in a picture, they are referring to all those things you listed above -- film, flash, lighting, aperature, shutter speed, etc. Do all things have to be in agreement with one another in order to get the proper exposure of a picture? Yep. Exactly. Probably 80% of the time the camera can handle all of these variables for you. Maybe even more of the time, depending on what conditions you usually shoot under. But for 20% of the time, you have to be able to "outthink" the camera ... and using flash is usually one of those times. :)

You wrote that I should bump the flash up or down whenever I use my omnibounce. Do I just set the camera to P, check to see what my camera is metering the shot at and then open up the aperture half a stop or one whole stop to let in more light? Am I understanding that right? Not exactly. On your *flash* (the 420 has this capability, I believe) you shoudl be able to increase your output by +1 stop. I am not sure how to tell you to do it, since I dont' know what the function keys look like on that flash, but you shoudl be able to find the information in th eflash manual.

ETA:
I know what manual means, but I don't know what TTL means. Also, I didn't know you could set your flash to manual. By the way, I have a Canon 420 EX. I usually just mount it to my camera and turn it on. I don't do anything else to it. BTW, I'd strongly suggest that you pull out the manual and read it - it will really help you to understand better how your flash works to produce a correct exposure. I certainly don't mind answering questions at all ... dont' get me wrong. But it's really hard to try to explain something whe you don't have even the most rudimentary knowledge of your gear. I'm trying to be as non-technical as possible in my explanation, but there's only so far I can go before I don't really know how else to explain it w/out saying "read the manual first"! :) I think I pretty much just hit that level.

Glad I could help.

Karen

[games]

ETA: BTW, I'd strongly suggest that you pull out the manual and read it - it will really help you to understand better how your flash works to produce a correct exposure.

I didn't buy the flash it was given to me. (My photographer friend who gave me the flash moved away in a hury, and I didn't want to burden him with tracking down his manual.) I've contacted Canon and ordered a manul but have not received it. I wasn't planning on using the flash until I could get my hands on the manual, but I couldn't help using it last Saturday.

I plan to pick up my pictures later today if not tomorrow. I hope I get at least a few decent ones.

When I get home tonight, I'm going to take a closer look at the flash unit.

Thanks again.

[greenbunny]

Thanks so much Karen, I'll PM you for that info. I really appreciate your taking the time to help out.

[GeekGirl]

A question to the resident photography experts!!

My darling FH just bought me a Nikon N75 for my birthday. Now what do I do??? Can you recommend a good book for beginners that will teach me what all of the stuff on my camera does? Thanks so much!

PS. I've already read the manual.:D

[KarenS]

PS. I've already read the manual.:D As a geek, I'm sure you're familiar with RTFM!

A really good book to help you get started with an SLR is "Understanding Exposure" by Moose Peterson. Moose (actually his real name is Bryan, but he's always gone by Moose) is one of the top nature photographers in the industry and he's also a Nikon expert. He's written dozens of books on Nikon cameras as well as basic and advanced photography and you can't go wrong with any of them.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0817463003.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0817463003/qid=1130375582/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-5966235-3180036?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[GeekGirl]

LOL, heck yeah. Just thought I'd save a post or two and point out that I already had, fat lot of good it did me beyond learning how to use the completely auto mode, and how to load the film! Thanks for the book recommendation!!! I'll have to pick that one up. :D

[Koala_Gurl]

Karen, et. al - Question RE: flash & metering...

I was reading my manual, and it says that it does auto metering for the built-in flash and a Canon Speedlite.

If I buy something like the alien bees flash; does my camera meter for that? Do I have to do manual metering (and if so, how is that accomplished w/ a flash unit...I get manual metering steady light...) If this is a "complicated" question, I have no problem if you refer me to a book or other source! :)

OK, and for a really dumb question...how does the light get triggered to flash? Is there a hard wire that goes between flash & light? I think some flashes are triggered by other flashes, but I don't necessarily want my camera's flash to fire.

[Little Angel '77]

When you put a flash on your camera and read the incamera meter, its reading the ambient light. It actually look me a really long time for that little piece of information to make sense

So if you meter a scene, and your meter is saying its underexposed, its not thinking the flash is going to fire.

Now with digital, (because I don;t know what you would do with film.)
I read my histogram and adjust from there.

Perfect example of this. If your at a wedding reception and you need to take a formal ... and its underexposed, my flash is going to fire becuase its on. I will take the picture with my best guess, and then read the histogram. It then tells me to slow my shutter down, or speed it up, or open my aperture or close it down.

If someone can tell me how you do it for film... I would love to learn too.
I know that the old flashes had you sync you f stop to your cameras f stop. With my camera its all electronic and I don't need to think about it.

Flash is one part of photography I struggle with. I hate it :)

[KarenS]

If I buy something like the alien bees flash; does my camera meter for that? Do I have to do manual metering Yes. You'll need to get a flash meter if you really want an accurate metering. I'd recommend something like this as a good basic meter:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/items/368226.jpg
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=368226&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

OK, and for a really dumb question...how does the light get triggered to flash? Is there a hard wire that goes between flash & light? Not dumb at all - espcially if you've not used studio lights before. Yes, there's a cord - it's called a sync (pronounced sink) cord that connects your studio light(s) to your camera. If you buy the Alien Bee, it will come with a sync cord (I believe they do - mine did).

Metering for studio lights is a WHOLE different animal than automatic in camera metering. I'd be happy to answer questions about it - it's been so long since I learned it I don't really know what a good resource is. But let me look around and see if I can recommend a good book or website.

Karen

[Koala_Gurl]

Thanks Karen & Lil Angel!!

I am learning so much (and for each tidbit I learn, I realize there is A LOT more to learn!) ;)

But, since I don't need anything for Christmas presents, as people ask me what I want, I am starting to ask for some photography stuff. :) DH asked today what I wanted and when I told him, he was like, "Don't you want jewelery?" LOL!!

ONe of these days, I will need to sign up for a real course, but probably not until DD is a bit older. Until then, I can learn the "hard" way...trial and error. :)

[Little Angel '77]

Hey Karen,
Can you touch on how you meter with a manual flash in a film camera? I am very curious....

[Lindsan]

I took this today when we went for a walk. The colours on this tree was amazing. And while I love how well the colours came out in the shot, I think the picture in itself is less great. How could I have done this better? I didn't want to zoom in because I wanted the whole tree in the picture but I think it looks ... busy. Any advice?

Shutterspeed 1/200
F-stop 4,0
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/Lindsan/155059.jpg

Thanks!

[KarenS]

Can you touch on how you meter with a manual flash in a film camera? I am very curious....I'm not ignoring you! :) Just so you know. Flash is not my favorite topic - I can do it but talking about *how* I do it requires me to actually engage my brain in a way that is not natural for me! :D So it will take me some time to adequately explain what I do. I'm working on it and I'll post in a bit.

K.

[KarenS]

I took this today when we went for a walk. The colours on this tree was amazing. And while I love how well the colours came out in the shot, I think the picture in itself is less great. How could I have done this better? I didn't want to zoom in because I wanted the whole tree in the picture but I think it looks ... busy. Any advice?well I think the problem is that you either zoomed in too much or not enough ... depending on the feel you wanted. What you have is a photo of most of the top of a tree. You're not close enough to see the actual leaves, but you're not far enough away to have a context. I have some photos I took of autumn leaves last year that I'll find a post when I'm home tonight - and hopefully I can explain better.

Karen

[Lindsan]

I see what you mean. I did take a few that were not as far zoomed in. The surroundings weren't all that nice and so I thought it would be better to leave that out. I see now that it wasn't a great idea either. Thanks.

[papergirl]

I have attempted to practice my photography skills with some success, however, this weekend was a major setback for me. Since getting my new camera I have taken a lot of photos usually consisting of nature, landscapes or adults. Basically, things that stay still. This weekend I attempted to photograph a child and it was a complete disaster. In every image she was blurry. Not knowing what to do I left my digital camera on the auto setting. My mind was completely blank but now looking back I am assuming I should have done something with the aperture, shutter speed, F stop?? Am I close??

Also, we were in a large room that had no windows. I did not use my flash but the camera kept giving me the symbol to warn me that any movement on my part would create blurriness but when I was perfectly still the image was still blurry. Everything would be in focus expect the child (who was moving).

[KarenS]

I did not use my flash but the camera kept giving me the symbol to warn me that any movement on my part would create blurriness but when I was perfectly still the image was still blurry. Everything would be in focus expect the child (who was moving).Taht symbol doesn't mean that it's just movement on *your* part. It's any movement.

If your shutter speed is too slow, it will pick up movement of your subject as well as any movement you make. You'll need a combination of high ISO and wide f-stop to allow a shutter speed fast enough to stop motion. If you cannot achieve that in the light you have, you'll HAVE to use flash.

Karen

[papergirl]

when you say wide f-stop that means a low number, right?

[Koala_Gurl]

RE: F-stop...yeah, low number means bigger opening thus more light.

[KarenS]

Right ... an f-stop of 2.8 is a bigger opening than an f-stop of 16. It sounds counter-intuitive, but remember that an f-stop is a *fraction* of the diameter of the lens. So it properly is 1/2.8 (f2.8) and 1/16 (f16) - and we all know that 1/2 is BIGGER than 1/16th. :)

Karen

[games]

Karen, I finally received the manual to my flash. I read it over the weekend. Now, I have a better understanding about your post. Thank you.

I got my pictures back too and, surprisingly, most of them turned out. In one particular group shot (people were sitting in a semi circle), the people closests to the flash on my right and left side got too much light. I thought that since I used a diffuser I would not have this problem. Wrong. Trial and error.

[Sunshine]

K, this might be a REALLY STUPID QUESTION and I am not even sure how to ask it.
I was just browsing a photography forum and someone had posted a pic of their new lense. It was a Nikon 80-200 AF 2.8. It was SO HUGE! WAY bigger than my 80-200 AF.
So a guy I work with asked what Kind of AF lense it was, and I looked at him with my infamous confused look:p WHat does he mean what kind of AF lense~It is a Nikon 80-200 AF.
Then He said that all AF lenses are different (meaning, a sigma 80-200AF compared to a Nikon 80-200AF lets say) That the difference is the motor?!?! One focuses faster than the other?!?!
I started talking about shutter speeds and he started talking about focusing speed.....
How do you tell which one will focus faster.............or is this true what he is telling me? Is it more than just finding a low f-stop? I need to look into focusing speed too?

[Sunshine]

Effective October 1, 2005, Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Canada, Inc. will cease its operations in the Canadian market only. All other world-wide Konica Minolta subsidiary's and companies will remain operational.

Distribution of Konica Minolta products including film, single use cameras, and inkjet paper will be conducted through Phototrader Inc. and there should be no disruption of these products at the retail level. Phototrader will also be responsible for service requirements of mini-labs. They can be reached at their head office via telephone at 905-738-5222, For more information on Phototrader Inc. please visit their website at www.phototrader.ca.

Sales and distribution of Digital/35mm cameras, film scanners, binoculars, photo meters, and their accessories will however cease in Canada We are considering the sale of these items through this website in the near future. Please re-visit this website for additional information on this development.

:(

[KarenS]

Then He said that all AF lenses are different (meaning, a sigma 80-200AF compared to a Nikon 80-200AF lets say) That the difference is the motor?!?! One focuses faster than the other?!?! Yep. He's right.

I don't know if you remember (or have been around this or the WC photo thread long enough) but I'm always talking about brand lenses as compared to third party lenses, and my preference for brand lenses. There are a handful of third party lens manufacturers that make lenses that are compatible with Nikon/Canon/Minolta/whoever cameras. So for example, I have a Canon 20D. I can buy Canon brand lenses for that camera. Or I can buy a Sigma brand or a Tamron brand or a Vivitar brand or a Tokina brand lens that is manufactured to be compatible with my Canon camera. Those manufacturers also make lenses for Nikon cameras. Some of them also make lenses for Minolta cameras. Etc. (You probably already know that part - or mostly)

Each manufacturer has different specifications for their lenses and different mechanical "innards". And all lenses have a different "feel" to them - that's a combination of weight, components, motor, focusing, etc. So let's take, for example, a 70-200 2.8 lens for a Nikon and look at the various brands.

The Nikon brand lens has the following specs:
Filter Size 77mm
f/Stop Range 2.8-22
Minimum Focus Distance 5' (1.5 m)
Magnification 1:6.1
Zoom/Focus Control Two-touch
Angle of View 34 to 12 Degrees
Groups/Elements 15/21
Tripod Collar Yes (detachable collar foot); has two 1/4-20" thread sockets
Length 8.5" (215mm)
Maximum Diameter 3.4" (87mm)
Weight 3.20 lb (1.5 kg)
Usable Nikon Teleconverter TC-20E II & TC-14E II (with full Autofocus)

The Sigma brand of that same lens:
Filter Size 77mm
f/Stop Range 2.8-32
Minimum Focus Distance 5.9' (1.8 m)
Magnification 1:7.8
Zoom/Focus Control Two-touch
Angle of View 43.3 to 12.3 Degrees
Groups/Elements 14/17
Tripod Collar Yes (removable)
Length 7.2" (184mm)
Maximum Diameter 3.4" (86mm)
Weight 2.8 lb (1.2 kg)

The differences in number of elements, weight, size, etc. (as you can see above) will all make a difference in how fast the lens focuses. In some lenses it's a matter of fractions of a second difference and it won't matter. In some lenses, you'll be able to actually feel/notice the difference.

So even tho the surface specifications are the same, as you dig deeper, the technology behind the lens may be different, resulting in a better/worse lens. Should you be concerned about it? In general I'd say not really. Like I said, most of the time it's fractions of a second. If you're gonig to buy a third party lens, do some research and see what others have said - if there's a significant difference in focusing time or other specification, you'll find people have written about it. Otherwise, it's mostly a non issue.

One other thing I'll say - and this is an *extremely* generalized and somewhat sexist statement, but it holds true in my experience: male photographers are a *lot* more hung up on the technology and specs and tiny fraction of a second differences than female photographers are. I have a lot of male photographer friends and inevitably they want to ask me all the technical details on my gear - down to the fractions of a second and the number of ounces. And you know what ... I don't care! :) I do the research, I hold the equipment, and if it works for me it works. I'm not saying I want to be a technological idiot ... but I really don't give a flip if your lens focuses 0.2 seconds faster than mine. Since I'm not doing split-second, stop motion photography, it's irrelevant. It may make a specification geek happy to know, but for me ... eh. Whatever! :D

Karen

[Sunshine]

Karen~WOW! Thank you SO MUCH for your post! That was exactly what I wanted to know:)
I do have a Minolta brand and a Sigma brand lense, both work great, and I have never really noticed a difference in the amount of time it takes for it to focus, as you said, I dont do much split-second, stop motion photography!
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to write that out for me, I Really appreicate it!

Here is one more question,(If you dont mind) I posted above a press release about Minolta stopping the sales of SLR and accessories in Canada. I shoot with Minolta, and was in the new year going to upgrade my camera to one that has more manual functions, as well as buy at least a 50mm lense. Being I wont be able to upgrade now staying with Minolta (:(), and not wanting to buy in another country.....what would you suggest I go to? I would like a Manual with the option to shoot with AF as well.
I believe you said you shoot with Canon, and one of my good friends also shoots with Canon, but I am unsure of where to start with that brand.
If you could even point me to a page with reviews or suggestions, that would be great aswell. I am just so upset that I wont be able to buy my lenses in Canada much longer, and I would rather switch now and have my Minolta as a backup before I wait too long.

TIA:D

[KarenS]

The liability is with the lab. They know they're not allowed to use images for advertising w/out the *written* permisssion of the copyright holder. Either the woman was very new and truly didn't know (in which case you educate her) or she was trying to weasel out of it by saying "oh I didn't know".

Either way, I wouldn't let it stop you from releasing negs if that's really how you want to structure your business (and BTW, if you're being paid for your services, then you *are* a professional and you *are* running a business). I release digital high res files to all my clients with the same type of release (personal use only, no advertising, commercial use, or contests).

Karen

[KarenS]

sunshine - Honestly I don't think you can go wrong with Nikon or Canon. I personally switched to Canon from Nikon (I think I talked about it earlier in this thread), but they're both great brands. For comparing cameras, I always recommend this site: http://www.dpreview.com - hands on, in depth reviews of all the new cameras out there!

Karen

[Sunshine]

Thanks Once again Karen:D

[greenbunny]

Here are two shots I took on a weekend hiking-and-photo expedition a few weeks ago. I like the angle of the fence better in the first shot, but I like how the colors show up better in the second shot.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/agreenbunny/fence1.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/agreenbunny/fence2.jpg

How can I improve on something like this, when I want to show the color detail far away but still maintain what's in the front of the image? (Besides buying a new camera. :p I guess I'm just tucking away advice for when I can actually afford what I want.)

[Little Angel '77]

I agree with Karen.
I always hand out a flyer explaining that uploading images to the internet to a public site (such as CC or WC or the KNOT) is against the copyright of the images if you do not have the written permission. One thing that is SUCH a no no, is linking from a photographers site, and posting on CC or WC or The Knot. You know thost "must have" pictures? you need permission to link or use that picture!! The photographer would win in a heartbeat in a court of law if you use an image you did not have permision to show.

Most brides who scan their proofs or link to them from a photographers site, are doing so without the consent of their photographer. I know loads of my brides take my images, but they always give me credit. This does NOT make it ok, but I don't fuss with it, because I am getting credit.

I am losing money for each reprint they do at an online place. I had one bride get the CD from me, and then upload all images to an online hosting service. They look awful, and my name isn't anywhere (I am actually thankful).

The point of my rambling. its so hard to control those types of things, but the fault lies with the internet sites that allow posting of images without the Photographers consent and labs that reprint without it too.

[KarenS]

greenbunny - Nice images. I agree with you the the angle of the fence in the first one is better - a better diagonal to lead the eye.

I think that the difference between the two is just exposure. I'm on my laptop right now, not my calibrated monitor, so I can't say for sure - but the bottom one looks about 1/2 a stop more exposed than the top one (it could happen with your camera drawing it's exposure information more from the white fence than the green grass). I would think if you lighten the top one a bit, you'll get the colors back in the foliage. If you feel like being a little fancy, you could mask out the sky and foreground and just lighten the tree area to make the colors pop - like this:

http://www.ksimmons.com/share/fence1.jpg

[greenbunny]

Karen, that looks tons better. Thanks!

I think when I take them in to print (in a million years) I'll ask about calibrating my monitor to them. I've lightened up a few things in Photoshop and they came back from printing really...I think blown out is the word I heard earlier in the thread.

ETA: I wasted my whole lunch hour reading reviews on the Canon 20D and 5D. Dammit, Karen, why'd you have to get me pining for such expensive toys! :p

[MeTheGirlie]

As per recommendation I purchased the "Beginner Bee" package at Alienbees.

Help!

Thanks!

[KarenS]

You can buy an adaptor that will fit on your flash hotshoe and has a PC connection. Something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=109453&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

[MeTheGirlie]

Thanks Karen, purchased it (from alienbees though) - they had one for 14.99 - slightly more expensive but whatever!

[KarenS]

Backdrops - I get all mine from http://www.backdropoutlet.com - I like the quality of their backdrops and their Champion line of muslins is really soft and easy to use.

A word of advice - get the biggest backdrop you can. A 10x20 is not unreasonable. You're going to want to set people as far away from the background as you can ... and still have some on the floor for htem to sit on.

Karen

[Sunshine]

OMG, TY TY TY Karen for posting the link to that backdrop site:D Almost like you read my mind:p:D

[KarenS]

:D Glad to help!

Karen

[KarenS]

Oh, I just took a look at the site myself and right now their deluxe muslin in 10x20 is $99. The deluxe are a little "stiffer" than the champion, but they're really nice. And this color is fabulous in both b&w and color images. I have one in this shade and I use it all the time. And they do soften with time as you wash them.

http://www.backdropoutlet.com/product_info.php?cPath=47_176&products_id=4179

[MeTheGirlie]

;) Thank you. My jaw is dropping over here at the prices of the holiday backdrops!

[MeTheGirlie]

FYI, just did a search on ebay and Backdrop outlet also auctions them off on ebay!

Link to the store: http://stores.ebay.com/BACKDROP-OUTLET_W0QQssPageNameZviQ3asibQ3astoreviewQQtZkm

[snowzilla]

I'm in a bit of a panic - I've been backing up my digital photos to cd-roms for the past couple of years, and in the past month, I've had two cd's fail. :( (Basically, I can open the disc, see the files on it, but I can not copy and paste any of them to my hard drive, or open them from the disc - I get a "cyclic redundancy check" error message. :confused: )

The one that failed last night had some very special photographs on it, so now I'm trying to figure out how I should be storing my pictures so that this doesn't happen again. Should I be using some sort of zip drive or something? How are the professional and semi-pro ladies storing their digital media?

[KarenS]

I use DVDs, but I always burn multiple copies, I always use the verify feature on my DVDs, and I always do a double check by attempting to copy back to the hard drive after a burn.

I've gotten some cyclic redundancy errors on much older disks, but nothing on newer DVDs.

Karen

[snowzilla]

I've been reading some articles today on the deterioration of cd's and dvd's - kind of disheartening. I was really duped into believing they would last for years and years, if taken care of properly.

Thanks for the info Karen - is there anything I can do to retrieve any of the data on the disc(s) giving me the error, or is it a lost cause?

[KarenS]

is there anything I can do to retrieve any of the data on the disc(s) giving me the error, or is it a lost cause?There's all kinds of rescue software you can download - it usually runs about $25 - $45 per program. I have used PhotoRescue before to salvage images from a CF card, but I don't know if it works on CDs/DVDs. Here's a link for it:
http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/

Other than that, I'm not really sure what to do. :( Sorry I"m not more help.

K.

[Owl]

Hello there,

I'm also a defector from WC. I've just been lurking for awhile though. I wanted to ask some advice on what lenses are the best choices to start out with.

We just bought the new Digital Rebel this weekend and have the lens that came with it. We're thinking of buying 1 or 2 more and were wondering what the best choices were for flexibilty and learning. We had purchased a telephoto 75-300mm I think, but are thinking of returning it for a similar model with Image Stabalization.

Any general recommendations on what lenses a beginner should start out with? Fixed Fast Lens? Macro? I am so confused!

[deliciousjones]

Owl -- I'd recommend the 50mm f1.8. It's a prime lens, it focuses fast and it's super sharp. Plus, it's only seventy-five bucks.

[Sunshine]

Just wondering if anyone knows a site just like alienbees.com, but they would be located in Canada, or sell in Canadian funds?
I would love to purchase from them but feel it might be better for me to order in my Country b/c of shipping etc!

TIA:D

[GeekGirl]

Hey Karen, I have a question for you.

When I got my camera (Nikon N75), it was advised to me that the next few accessories I'd want to get would be a tripod, an off-camera flash, and a 80-200(ish)mm lens.

Well, I have the tripod, no problem! So, as for the others...do you agree that those would be good to have, and what recommendations would you have for them?

Thanks for your help! :-D

Oh, also...I'm interested in a scanner. Can you recommend one that is under $300? You rock. ;)

[Little Angel '77]

Geek Girl, what do you have for lens now?

I would suggest start with the 50MM, then the 85, and then the 70-200 MM (I am not sure if its 80-200 for Nikon.

I would recommend an off camera flash to be your first or second purchase in there. It will help orevent shadows. Once you get really into it, get an off camera bracket. I don't have one, but might be picking one up.

Karen- do you shoot with one?

[GeekGirl]

I currently have a 28-80 mm lens - it came with the camera.

I have it on good authority that the new lens and flash will be presents from Santa, once Santa knows what to get me. :D

Any recommendations for the flash and bracket?

Thanks for all your help!!

[GeekGirl]

*bump*

[KarenS]

Ah hah. I must have missed this the first time it was posted.

Ok, lenses: I strongly recommend prime lenses (i.e. non-zooming ones). I think the 50 1.8 is an excellent beginners choice. The 50 1.4 is a little more expensive, but my favorite lens ever. If you want something tighter, then the 85 1.8 is my next favorite. After that the 20 2.8 ... yummy. I'm a big believer in prime lenses because they force you to think about composition instead of just zooming in and out.

Oh wait, I just read your first post on the topic ... ok, so I'm leaving my advice above because I still think you can't go wrong with a prime lens of any length. But if you're really looking for a longer lens, I'd recommend the 180 2.8 (which may be out of the budget at $600). There's not really a long zoom that I can recommend wholeheartedly that's less than $1000.

Flash: The SB-600 speedlight is fabulous with the N70, and that's what I'd get if you don't want to pony up $400 for the SB-800! :)

Brackets: honestly I don't use one. I prefer to take the flash off camera with a sync cord and hold it in my left hand while shooting with my right. That might not be anything that you want to explore - it takes practice :). I don't think I've used a bracket in 5 or more years - since I went completely digital, so I don't even know what's available any more!

Hope that helps and it's not too late! :)

Karen

[Owl]

Karen,

Thanks for the reply on lenses, especially comparing the 1.8 to the 1.4 I was trying to decide if the 1.4 would be worth the extra money...seems like it would be. Hopefully I'll be getting it soon.

We got a good snow here yesterday so I snapped some photos. I was glad to stay inside with my lazy ole zoom lens ;) so I didn't have to trudge around in the snow.

I've heard lots of people say that using prime lenses will make you better. Is that just because you're forced to pay more attention to and adjust to your surrondings?

Thanks,
C

[KarenS]

I've heard lots of people say that using prime lenses will make you better. Is that just because you're forced to pay more attention to and adjust to your surrondings?Yes, to a large degree! Also, as a rule a prime lens is going to be sharper, clearer, better than a zoom lens. It's just sort of a logical function of needing less glass to do the same job.

But yes, from a learning perspective, shooting primes really makes you think about what you're doing. One of the best things I ever learned was when my mentor in Portland gave me an assigment to shoot 5 rolls of film (yeah, I'm showing my age, huh? :D) with one lens. I could choose the lens, but that was the only one I could use for those 5 rolls. It was really an eye opener to me.

Now I will admit that there are times when I'm photographing a wedding where I sometimes use a zoom lens - like during the cake cutting when I just don't have time to switch lenses back and forth. But honestly what I prefer to do is shoot 2 cameras - one with a wide angle and one with a 50mm or 85mm. I just think it gets me better shots!

Karen

[Koala_Gurl]

I was just rereading this thread for some Christmas present ideas, and just had to say "thanks" again to the resident "experts!" There is so much info here!!!

OK, to my question...

How do you all back up photos? My hard drive is almost full (YIKES!!) I have a laptop and have no idea if / how to add memory to it (I assume it isn't something I can do like I can the desktop). I bought an external hard drive, but just don't feel super comfortable having that be my only source. I have started to back up on CDs, but these darn RAW files are too big (and I know I need to go thru them, but w/ a mobile 8-month old, who has the time?!?)

What are some other (reliable) storage options??? It scares me just to have one source (hard drive / CD.)

I do go thru them and weed out the non-keepers, but I want to make sure I am backed up in the meantime.

THANKS!!! :)

[Traciann]

christinewhere did you find the 50 mm for that price?

I am reading that a 50 mm lens is better, but can you tell me what kind of result I can get that I can't get with my Nikon N75 28-80? I really only use automatic mode..would this still be a good investment?

Thanks!
Traci

[deliciousjones]

koalagirl: i back up to a DVD

traciann: bhphoto.com

[KarenS]

Backing up: I back up to DVD/CD multiple times. Really there's no 100% foolproof way to back up. Even film wasn't 100% foolproof because it will degrade over time. What I do with every wedding and portrait session is back it up twice to separate DVDs, making sure to run a full verify on the data during the burn process. One DVD stays in my home office, one goes to my storage unit down the street (climate controlled). That way if something happens to my house, I still have files.

I also have an external hard drive that I back up files to at the end of the year. I then label the drive, put it in a static-bag, and store it in off site storage. So I have multiple layers of redundancy. I don't know if you want to go to those extremes for personal stuff. :) Even so, just burning 2 copies of a DVD or CD is good. It gives you a fall back in case one goes bad.

I am reading that a 50 mm lens is better, but can you tell me what kind of result I can get that I can't get with my Nikon N75 28-80? I really only use automatic mode..would this still be a good investment?The 50mm prime lens is sharper, clearer, better color than the average consumer zoom lens. It's also faster, so you'll be able to shoot in lower light situations. The mode you use is really irrelevant to what lens you use. Whether you use Program, Automatic, whatever ... that just controls how the camera chooses exposure. The lens is not about the exposure, but about the quality of the image through the glass of the lens.

Karen

[deliciousjones]

Karen, do you have an archiving policy, or are reprints available for always? My policies dictate that images are only available for ordering for 30 days and that reprints of previously-ordered photos are available for six months. Of course, I keep them around longer, but I did this to avoid ending up with thousands of DVDs sitting in storage.

[KarenS]

I have sort of a multi-tiered policy. The first thing is that I release high resolution files with delivery of prints or albums so clients can get their own prints made. My contract states that once the high resolution files are released I dont' have any obligation to archive any images. But of course I keep everything and I'll continue to take orders as long as people want to place them. I do say that more than 12 months after the wedding, there's either a minimum order amount or an archive fee if they don't meet the minimum order. That way I get paid for the time it takes me to dig thru DVDs or external hard drives and pull the images for printing.

Karen

[ButterflyJen]

Can I "butt in" and ask a question?

We got a new digicam yesterday. I had a 128mb SD/MMC in our old digicam, with 10 pictures on it. I popped it out of the old camera, inserted it into the new camera, and started playing. Well, today when I tried to download all the pictures on the disk - the original 10 pictures were gone. I downloaded every other picture I'd taken, and the card says it has 121 mb free space. So, I'm figuring that 7mb might be the original 10 pictures...but I can't get to them no matter how I try (through the camera/browsing the card on my computer).

Are these pictures gone? Or is there a way I can get to them somehow?

TIA for any suggestions! :)

[Little Angel '77]

Jen you might be able to recover them with a recovery program. try Photo Mechanic (its 29.00).

I think your cameras were probably writing with difference software, and the camera didn't know what to do. Although I am no good with p&s cameras, I know that if they are totally different cameras, you could have a problem.

I finished my LAST wedding of the season. I have a picture on my blog (see below). I didn't photoshop the sunset very well, I need to work on the edges, but I flattened the picture before I was done.

[ManteoChik]

Yay! Congrats on the new 20D luckiestgirl! I *heart* mine and it hardly leaves my fingers...lol. But then again, there are days when I've finished my 10th portfolio where I'd rather not see it again....lol.

[Ummm]

hey i have the 20D too :)

[Little Angel '77]

I shoot with the 20D, and its such a great camera. Right now I am on the fence about buying another one or getting the full frame 5D. I still shoot with the 10D, because its realiable, but I am in the midst of planning my purchases for next year. Decisions Decisions.

I also want to start shooting RAW, but I don't have the hard drive space, and if I start shooting RAW i need to get the G5... I love the MAC G5, I want the G5. :) Thanks to the girls who posted on my blogger map.

[GeekGirl]

To the resident experts:

Do you have any recommendations for books on black and white photography, and on photoshopping techniques? TIA! :D

[KarenS]

Something fun for you guys who have a 20D or a Digital Rebel (or really any camera, Canon or not) or who are getting one for Christmas. Canon just announced an online school for digital photography with lots of information and online seminars:

www.photoworkshop.com/canon

There's some good information there and the main photoworkshop area also has some good PS tutorials and so forth.

karen

[greenbunny]

I am obsessing between the 20D and the 5D. I am leaning towards the 20D, some reviews say the 5D is sticky and more cumbersome. I won't be buying until probably late 2006, but I'd love to see any reviews or sources you used in making your buying decision.

[Ummm]

greenbunny - what do you use the camera for? personal or business use? besides, if you aren't going to buy till late 2006, canon would prob have something new come out by then with the rate their R&D is going!!

i bought the 20D in April, that was before the 5D came out. If i have to buy another one, which one would i choose?! as much as i'd love to have a full frame (to get super wide angle), I think i'd rather get a 20D, and get some good lenses with the money. The difference between a great lens and a mediocre one is hugh.

[t3h_wookiee]

Something fun for you guys who have a 20D or a Digital Rebel (or really any camera, Canon or not) or who are getting one for Christmas. Canon just announced an online school for digital photography with lots of information and online seminars:

www.photoworkshop.com/canon

There's some good information there and the main photoworkshop area also has some good PS tutorials and so forth.

karen

Wow, thanks for the link Karen! :) I'm still trying to figure out all the stuff on my Rebel XT I got Saturday. It's a bit confusing at first, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. :D

[greenbunny]

greenbunny - what do you use the camera for? personal or business use? besides, if you aren't going to buy till late 2006, canon would prob have something new come out by then with the rate their R&D is going!!

Personal use, mostly landscape/wildlife photography. I wouldn't be against selling stuff if anyone liked it, though. :o

I was thinking of buying used, which is why I'm targeting models that are hot now. There's a great local shop that sells refurbished cameras.

[Sunshine]

If I can sneek in here and ask a quick question....
Would it be a good idea to buy refurbished? Can you get warranties that way or would it just be smarter to save up the money and buy brand new...
I would love to save a few dollars but I have never owned a DSLR before, only film, and I worry that somehting could happen to the digital camera that just isnt fixable...?!?!?

TIA:D

[GeekGirl]

To the resident experts:

Do you have any recommendations for books on black and white photography, and on photoshopping techniques? TIA! :D

*bump*