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Digital SLR / DSLR Camera Question / DSLR Thread 2

It's quiet in here!

I think perhaps the readership on our little DSLR thread has declined quite a bit from where we were a year ago. :cry

Here's something for you guys to drool over. I found it over at the Strobist blog:
[youtube]UwzTRAfwqo8[/youtube]

Lighting 40 frames at 8fps over 100 feet with strobes! :wow
 
I think you stopped asking so many questions and I don't have a camera/haven't been shooting much. It's a cyclical thing, though.

All set for this weekend's wedding. Had to rent again, but got a D300, 17-55, and 70-200 lined up. Still have all my strobes, remotes, lightstands, etc. Should be back with some good pics in a week or so.
 
I haven't been shooting much lately. I've been focusing more on other projects. (Plus, my favorite model is taking 18 units this semester.) But, I intend to go full force again after Thanksgiving. :thumbup
 
I put together a studio in the garage, and have a website on the way. All that has left me feeling very uncreative, but now that its mostly all settled, I'm getting back into it.
 
cycle61 said:
I think you stopped asking so many questions
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:laughing:laughing:laughing

Touché.


All set for this weekend's wedding. Had to rent again, but got a D300, 17-55, and 70-200 lined up. Still have all my strobes, remotes, lightstands, etc. Should be back with some good pics in a week or so.
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How do you like the D300? It might be just the thing I upgrade to in the next year (or more likely, a D200). It's got a similar sensor as the D700 and D3, right? If I recall you had a D700 last year. How does it compare for your uses? (besides DX vs. FX)




.
 
the d300 is basically the pro version of the d90. same image quality due to pretty much same sensor, but bigger/stronger body and better FPS. the d700 and d3 are similar, as they are both full frame
 
580exII on the way to get ready for shooting the holiday season. My bday is also coming up, should I try to score a 17-40 or a 70-200? Which should come first to get me through the holidays? Which will I get the most use out of for mostly indoor shoots?
 
cycle61 said:
Looking forward to seeing more modeling stuff from you and Ian.
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Thanks man!

My excuses:

1. Court case. Fending off a bunch of stupid discovery questions (what grades did you get in high school etc.) wtf?
2. No lawyer. Trying to find one.
3. No job. Trying to find one.
4. Some paying gigs keeping me busy, nothing spectacular tho.
5. Desiree started work 30 hours a week, so I have the kids for that time.
6. Lucy thank-you party.
7. Hard drive failure.
8. Flu, nearly over it.

November is looking crazy-busy too, but weekends don't look too bad, so might make some progress on the book.

That said, I have a coupla nude shoots that are 'galleried' on my machine, not yet uploaded.
 
BrassPremier said:
the d300 is basically the pro version of the d90. same image quality due to pretty much same sensor, but bigger/stronger body and better FPS. the d700 and d3 are similar, as they are both full frame
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This. Plus the autofocus is much, much better on the pro and semi-pro bodies.

Regarding the D300 vs the 700, the major differences for me are about a stop of high ISO ability. Controls are nearly identical, I can operate either one with my eyes closed. Also, the D300 mirror operates at the same speed (about 1/60th) regardless of shutter speed. That took some getting used to, as I kept thinking I was shooting too slow with the long lens, when actually I was at 1/500th or higher. Other than that, I much prefer the full-frame, but it's not critical.

My next camera is actually gonna be a D40x. Buying it from a buddy, hopefully by the end of this week so I'll have a 2nd body for the wedding on Saturday. Yes, I'll get a picture of it dangling from the back of a 70-200 or something. :D
 
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Baptistro said:
580exII on the way to get ready for shooting the holiday season. My bday is also coming up, should I try to score a 17-40 or a 70-200? Which should come first to get me through the holidays? Which will I get the most use out of for mostly indoor shoots?
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You'll love the 580. The 17-40 is cool if you're used to shooting something like 35mm lenses. if you're more used to something like the kit lens (18-55), the 24-70 is a hot lens.

The 17-40 is nice indoors, but it didn't give me the distance i wanted for most stuff.

The 70-200 is nice if you like close ups on people's faces, but i think it'll be a bit much for your average dining room.

Maybe also consider a prime. That 50mm L is hotness.
 
I'm pretty happy with my 50 1.8, and have the 24-70 already, which I love, but I'm looking to expand on my versatility. I'm really looking forward to trying out the flash though. 100mm prime maybe?
 
Baptistro said:
I'm pretty happy with my 50 1.8, and have the 24-70 already, which I love, but I'm looking to expand on my versatility. I'm really looking forward to trying out the flash though. 100mm prime maybe?
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Bap, I recommend skipping the extra lenses for now and spend some duckets on some light modifiers for the 580. You will need some sort of diffuser to soften the harsh light coming from the flash. (You can't always count on bouncing the light.) I use one of those Gary Fong doohickies on those rare times that I shoot with the flash on camera.
 
No womenz in the picture they all ran when i showed up .

3449565666_6825bcf798_b.jpg
 
Heh, my girlfriend was just egging me into shooting more, since I'd been slowing down in the past few weeks. Moving took a lot of wind out of the sails. Now that we're getting the new place set up and we're starting to decorate, having fresh stuff on the walls is starting to promote creativity again.

Hey Nick, I'd like to start sticking my feet into the pool of wedding photography, if not jump straight into the deep end. Thing is, I feel my skills are where they need to be to get started, but I have no idea where to begin on the business aspect of it. Any tips for a newb in getting started?

Other hotness: yesterday I got a call asking to volunteer my photography for a charity event. Its a charity I like to support, but the guy running it is a guy who's plagiarized my work in the past. Gonna have to negotiate a careful contract if I want to help with that one.

Oh yeah, here's a shot of a buddy of mine from Halloween. Not bad for a snapshot, methinks:

700377768_RkP5M-L-1.jpg
 
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Nick, you buying Jason's d40x?

Tyler, I also would like to try wedding photos someday. Would rather start off just helping out a photog that already knows what he's doing first though :p
 
The business of wedding photography is intensely competitive, and to be honest, I'm not doing very well at it. I have a pretty good idea of what I should be doing, but I definitely haven't focused my efforts (pun intended) as I would need to be successful.

What I would suggest is shooting a couple of weddings as an assistant/second shooter. There are often gigs available on craigslist, although they may be tough to get without any wedding-related portfolio. I'd be happy to have you assist next time I have a client who wants a second shooter.

I have no doubt that you can handle the photography aspect of a wedding, but there are a whole lot of things you have to learn on the fly. You have to be ready to operate in an environment that's fast-paced, hectic, and unpredictable, and non-repeatable. You're playing the role of a photojournalist, portrait artist, product shooter, fashion photographer, graphic designer (you are getting details and background shots for the wedding album, right?;)) and event manager all at the same time. It's intense, exhilarating and exhausting, the hours are long, and you have to get it right the first time. Every time. Because there's no retakes. I freggin love every minute of it, and wish I could make it a full time job.

Still interested? Let me know.
 
cycle61 said:
Still interested? Let me know.
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Positively. Sounds like combining some of the best aspects of my day job with some of the best aspects of my hobby.

I can understand what you mean with the biz not doing so well. I attended a number of weddings this summer and most of the photogs there were shoestring budget/volunteer. Not to say that I'm already a pro at this, but it was tough to not wince at the result. But I also understand that its a tough economy to be a young couple in, and not everyone has a relative with gold-lined pockets willing to pay for a top-flite photographer.
 
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finally starting to figure out the white seamless look. tough getting the lighting right on everything... still think it could use some work (sorta rushed cleaning up the reflection) but starting to get it down. any suggestions would be appreciated :)

EDIT: played around more, new photo same idea

4077557862_b73e1df54b_b.jpg
 
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