Photography Community

Groaning gyros

Scott — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:39:30 GMT

Has anyone had an issue with gyros that won’t stop? I have a 24 – 105 f/4 L which has been diagnosed with the gyros not stoping and noisy, very noisy. It doesn’t matter if the power is on or off on the body, IS & AF on or off it just keeps making a continual noise, the only way to stop it is to take it off the body. (other lens’s fine). It has always been treated with care and respect, never dropped, it just started. To say that I am ticked off is an understatement with a four month old lens, and to make matters worse it will take six weeks at least to repair / replace. Just though Id’ see if any one else has had this problem. Ta

Scott

Am I doing something wrong?

Manofmayo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:09:20 GMT

Last night I had the opportunity to do some nude artsy glamour shots in a studio environment. I normally don't take pictures of people because the pictures never turn out like I had envisioned them to. Most of my shots are landscapes and I have has an SLR type camera since 1981.

So here is the setup: White backdrop in a 15'x15' modeling area, (2) Profoto Strobes set at approx. 3/4 w/ softboxes (3x6?). ISO 100, speeds-1/125 to 1/160, f/10 to 8, Canon xti w/ 70-200 L f4 (non-IS). Sandisk 4gb Ultra 2 memory cards. I was 8-10' from the model. I shoot RAW.

First the technical complaints:

Shutter Lag-trying to catch a swooshy hair shot was difficult at best, as most shots were at the tail end of the hair shot (usually out of picture).
Tight head shots were not tight at all. Now I need to crop the shot to get the best picture. What I saw in the viewfinder was not what I saw on the screen. Never was much of a problem w/ landscape shots, now I notice it more than ever before.
I didn't notice slow transfer speeds on the first memory card, but the second was horrible, I missed many shots. Is there that much difference between identical cards (I bought both at the same time this year).
d

Next the technique issues:

I thought that the depth of field I was using would allow me to focus (example here) on the chest and still get a clear & sharp image of the face. Instead of the face isn't as sharp as I would expect. My DOFMaster app on my iphone shows I have a DOF of 1.18' . Am I expecting too much from the equipment?
What do I focus on? The center AF point is the only one set (and is always set that way). I was hoping to have a sharp face and body if I shot the body. I was set to AI Focus the whole time.

I will probably do something similar in 2-3 weeks. I want to have a higher keeper rate this time from improved technique. I don't think its a good idea to post the pictures given they are nudes, however, I am willing to send one or two out if I feel comfortable with your older posts (just don't want someone to use them for their own gain or post them to a porn site).

I have contemplated buying a 50D, preferably used, however I have purchased 4 lenses this year and can't just the purchase now unless I sell the xti, which I would rather not do so I can keep it as a backup.

Thanks

Post Your Best Nature Shots!

Garrett-Grimsley — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:46:44 GMT

Took some inspiration from the other "Post Your Best ****!" threads and decided to create one for nature. I'm a big fan of viewing and taking nature photos. I'm talking about wild animals, flowers, greenery, landscapes, etc.

So show off your best!

I'll start off with one, and post another once in a while to bump the thread.

Canon Rebel XT 350D, 1/250 second, F/6.3, 200mm, ISO400

Indoor public sport event with a flash pictures

elz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:38:21 GMT

I like to attend outdoor soccer game and follow the ball with the 40d at 300mm f5.6 or so, under the bright sun it give very clever pictures. I also take pictures of my friends playing hockey on indoor ice arena. It's indeed very dark in there.

I just bought a 580ex2 flash but I wonder how will players react at having someone to blind them at some place in the arena.

So, I would be very interested into seeing some of your pictures of "indoor public sport event with a flash" pictures :) . Of course any comment and exif is more than welcome.

To start the topic I will try to upload a picture of the kind of area I'm talking about.

Post Your Best Portrait Shots!

Benjamin — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:29:05 GMT

Hi guys,

Like taking portrait shots? Just post them and share with us!

This is, as I consider, one of my best portraits I've ever taken. On campus of University of Toronto (University College), Canada, early 2008. Open for comments & suggestions

Some notes: Toronto's winter is always quite cold. As I remember, there were a couple of unusual warm days before the day when this picture was taken; that's why snow was melted and the ground can be seen. However, at the moment when I was taking this picture it was about -10 degrees... The ground was frozen and I was lying on it to achieve such a perspective.

Canon Rebel XTi + 17-85/4-5.6 IS @ 17mm, F5.6, 1/50s, ISO200, w/o flash.

Benjamin

FS/FT: REDUCED Canon EOS 3

ShutterbugJohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:19:22 GMT

This is a great pro-level 35mm camera. I am selling it only because I do not use it enough to justify keeping it. It is in very good condition, with a few small scratches. It has the same 45-point AF as the 1Ds Mark II, and also has eye-controlled focusing.

I am asking $250 or best offer and will consider trades.*

Included:

Canon EOS-3
Dust Cap
Owner's Manual
Neck Strap
Extra Battery
Shipping

Will sell only to a member in good standing of this forum.

I have good feedback at the FredMiranda.com Buy & Sell forum, username ShutterbugJ.

Thanks!

*Possibly interested in 85/1.8, MR-14EX or partial trade for 40D or 70-200/2.8L.

AF microadjustment

Roland Scheiner — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:34:20 GMT

Until today I only used Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses. And therefore I don´t any experience with the Canon gear. I bought a 5DMarkII and four lenses:

EF 16-35 USM II, EF 24-105 IS USM, EF 28-135 IS USM, EF 70-300 IS DO USM

What are your experiences with the microadjustment. In the manual of the 5DMarkII you read: Normally the microadjustment is not required. Do it only if necessary.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

7d vs 5d Autofocus

crosbyharbison — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:55:33 GMT

What are the differences in performance between the 7d and the 5d II in terms of auto focus (not just features; actual performance)?

Also what is the 7d's maximum flash sync speed?

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV vs. 300mm f2.8 vs. 200mm f2.0

RonG — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:07:04 GMT

O.K. Here's the Story. Around Christmas this year I will have about 5K to spend on equipment. I shoot a lot of sports, I mean a lot. I had an older 300 f2.8 non IS that I purchased and focus was not great so I sent it back but noticed that a single focal length lens is limited compared to my 70-200mm zoom. Another difficulty is that a lot of sports are at night and I frequently (read always) shoot at f2.8 and 3200 iso for a 1/400 shutter speed which is frequently underexposed by up to 2 fstops depending on the field or gym. I currently have the aforementioned 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM lens so 80% of my needs are met. I have a 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM lens and a 50mm f1.4 lens; I have a 40D, 1D, 1D Mark 2n. So my problem is this, It would be photography dogma to upgrade the Lens with an Uber Telephoto as mentioned above and with the $500 rebate the 200mm is only $4800 dollars until January but High ISO is my bane. I would love to have another 2fstops of light with the same noise performance and with 16mpix on a 1.3 sensor and easily 12,800 iso on the Mark IV I'm thinking upgrading the camera body may be more beneficial than getting a Faster telephoto (though I would like to have both).

What should I get. 1) 1D mark IV 2) 300mm f2.8 with 2x extender (already have 1.4x) 3) 200mm f2.0

5D MarkII

Roland Scheiner — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:43:04 GMT

As I wrote in my profile until now I only used Nikon DSLRs in the past. Therefore I don´t have any experience with Canon SLRs. I bought a 5DMarkII which is still in the box. I only will open it on christmas. But I study the manual (downloaded from the internet - see below), and I have a few questions, which I almost don´t dare to pose to you the experienced users.

1.) The camera only can take images when the AF has achieved focus although you press the shutter button straight down.and/or If you aim a subject and press the shutter button directly straight down without waitung until the camera has achieved focus the camera will not take a picture. And when you shoot continuously and the camera loses the subject, it stops even when C.FnIII-1 is set to (0) -search on. Is that right?

2.) As I like to take snapshots I like always to be prepared for. Therefore I should like to set the settings as follows most of the time: Drive Mode - continuous shooting / AF AI focus (I don´t talk about metering and ISO speed) Are there reasons why I shouldn´t do that. Can this setting be set as one the C1/C2/C3 ? That would be very conviened because I could switch to One shot or another C(2-3) setting immediately

3. The 5DMark II features 3 different levels of RAW files. RAW files can be processed lossless. But my question is: If I use RAW 2 the file is not larger than Jpeg S in terms of the printing size. Why use this compression as well as RAW 1. If bought a FF Camera and using the compressed Raw files I cut if down to APS-C. Is that right, or do I make a mistake?

I think about capturing JPEG and RAW of the same picture. The advantage of a RAW is obvious. Nevertheless I will capture JPEGs because most or the majority of the images must not be changed. But for those which have to be processed, I will use the RAW file, convert to JPEG and then throw the RAW file to the trash. What do you think about that?

4. This has nothing to do with the camera itself: What is your experience in terms of sRGB vs RGB. Until today I only used sRGB. Most of my pictures are displayed on my monitor which doesn´t cover RGB. I did test photos and printed them (Epson Stylus R2400 - I don´t know if this model is sold in the US; the color management of this printer supports RGB) Compared with the sRGB Photos of the same subject, the RGB photos were significantly more colorful, i.e. the color saturation was better. Your experiences?

So it´s enough for now. Thank you in advance for you answers.

PS: You should be glad to live in the US because the information about Digital photography is much better than in Germany.

Canon EF 300mm f/4.0 L IS USM Lens

msmaneri1991 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:12:07 GMT

I was wondering anyone who has used this lens. what would you give it on a scale of 1-10 in image quality. 1 being the worst canon lens you have ever used and 10 being the best.

--matt

Canon EF-S 17-55mm IS USM

Pamela — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:12:29 GMT

Hi this is my first post on this forum. I have read a few post and realzie the lens I have been researching is the subject of quite a few opinions.

I own the Canon 40D, and 3 lenses~ a fixed EF 50mm, f1.8, (the 28-135mm, f3.5 IS USM that was purchased with the camera body as kit), and an EF70-300, f4-5.6 IS USM. I have had this camera for a year, and love it. I have been interested in photograhy forever, and learned on a film SLR. I guess you could say I'm past the ametaur stage, but the technical aspect/math understanding lens ratio's gets complicated for me.

I take a lot of pics of my kids, and my friends children & families--as well as sporting events, indoor, (my oldest son, 13 is in a band~and actually has "gig's" i shoot), wildlife, landscape, and some macro. I like it all, and I shoot a lot. Family has inspired me to start my own business. Thinking about taking the leap, (keeping my day job, lol!). I know I need a new lens, or lenses to take this further. I am not a big tripod user unless I'm doing macro work~and occasionally low light situations. I would like to, someday, work my way up to a full frame camera body~tho it may be a while! I would like to keep my 40D as a back-up, if I ever get the oppertunity to shoot a wedding. With that being said, as many have posted before, do I spend the money now for L series lenses, or spend the $ for 17-55mm EF-S IS USM, and leave it as one of my dedicated 40D lenses~saving the purchase of the L series for the full frame camera someday?? It seems like a great all-around lens to have. I'm sure my 28-135 is no where comparable~but I love the range on it.

We are planning a trip to the NC mountains soon~and I thought I could also use it as a wide angle? The 10-22mm didn't seem to have much greater of a range?? I want something that will give me more "bokeh" with the lower f stop~also need it for low light situations, and portraits?

Is this a good lens to start with? or should I build slowly with fixed lenses?

Whatever lenses you can suggest for a "future pro" would be greatly appreciated!!

Shooting The Moon Failures

waltgary — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 12:51:48 GMT

Hi all: I've got a 5d/II with a 500mm/f4 lens and 1.4/2.0 extenders. It rests on a medium quality Bogen tripod (~$110) and the Wimberly Sidekick Head . Obviously my equipment is far better than I am. I recently tried a second time to shoot the full moon at 4:00AM on a clear morning and failed miserably. I don't know why I want to do this as there are stock photos better than what I could get but I guess that's part of the bug.

In any event, I'd like some tips on how to shoot lunar photos using the equipment I have. I've searched here and studied what is available at sites like telescope.com but I really think I should first see what I can do with my setup.

So, I tried the following:

metering from full frame to spot/Av with apetures from 5.6/8 to 14/shutter speeds set by the camera based on my settings/iso from 100-800/exposures adjusted from full 'left' to full 'right'/remote controlled shutter release and bulb (but I don't really understand bulb, I was just trying to get it right)/manually focused via the viewfinder first/

Every photo turned out with the moon blown out severely as well as blurred. I can see craters/details in the viewfinder but the photos all come out simlarily useless. Obviously I'm doing something grossly wrong but I'm at a loss as to what to try next.

I do appreciate what I've learned on this forum. It's helped me get some great photos of other subjects but the moon has eluded me. Thanks again, gary

Charging eneloop batteries

Mark Elberson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:23:42 GMT

I use eneloop batteries and so far have been thrilled with their performance. However, a few weeks ago my flash died and when I threw my backup I set of eneloops in they were dead too. This created a big problem for me! Since eneloops are known for their stellar shelf-life and the fact that I shoot with flash so frequently it was probably my fault. I must have forgotten to charge my backup set. Here's my question:

Can charging eneloop batteries before they are fully discharged cause memory? Ever since that happened I would love to charge all of my backup sets of batteries but I have no idea how close to being discharged they are and I do not want them to develop memory. Your advice is extremely appreciated!

Point of reference, I use the OEM eneloop charger. Peety3, I know I should buy the La Crosse BC-700 charger. It's on my list :-)

Dropped my 5D Mark II: Luckily no damage but filter stuck! Help!

iso79 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:25:45 GMT

So I accidentally dropped my 5D Mark II on my hardwood floor. Luckily there's no damage to the camera or the lens but my b+w polarize filter is stuck on the lens. I notice a small dent on the side of filter preventing it being screwed off. Is there anyway to get it off or do I need to get a professional to take it off for me? Will one of these lens filter wrenches remove it? http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Lens-Filter-Wrench-Review.aspx

Flash gel kits

twistedphrame — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:32:16 GMT

Hey guys I'm looking for any advice on gel kits for flash correction.

any suggestions are welcome

~Jordan

Shooting the family dog.

Joel Bookhammer — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:51:31 GMT

So last night I was asked to shoot a family dog along with their son this coming spring. What I would like is some pointers on how to incorporate a family pet in with a picture. The candids shouldnt be too difficult but what Im loathing is getting the dog to pose with the up and coming senior for some nice portraits.

Any pointers on what works well for getting the dogs attention, should I tripod the camera with a remote, go handheld, which lens would be best (24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 IS, 85 1.2) etc. Im leaning more towards the 85 1.2

So any help with the posed portraits would be great....if you have examples, feel free to post them at will. Oh the dog is a chocolate lab.

Thanks

Joel

EOS 7D external Mic recomendations

Vantlor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:09:52 GMT

I cant find one that will actualy mount to the camera. Am I missing something? It would be sweet if there was a custom mount to throw a Mic onto the flash mount, but I cant find one. Not looking for anything to espensive but I certainly need something better than the built in one!

A completley external mic is not what I am looking for because then I either need it to sit somewhere or I need someone else to move it around for me. Obviously when using a wireless lapel etc this problem is moot as itd just be a cable running to my pocket from the camera (or just syncing audio from the laptop later).

Finally got the moon and two energetic dogs

waltgary — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:10:07 GMT

Using information gained from these forums I was finally able to get a decent shot of the moon. Not on par with what I've seen here but I'll keep trying now that I've got the technique to some degree. Ok, not even close to what I've seen here but again, I'll keep evolving. It was shot using the 500/f4 lens and 5d MkII body.

Elliot and Walt were taken with the 70-200/f2.8 lens. I was standing on a smooth and slippery rock in waist deep water, a genuine recipie for disaster. But, alls well that ends well. gary

New wedding photos

Jayson — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:18:12 GMT

I recently had a chance to photograph a wedding. Let me know what you think. Good or bad, I would appreciate any comments you may have. Thanks.

Assignment 1 "Harmony"

Whatsreal — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:13:51 GMT

Hey! A poll in another thread showed some interest in doing similar themed assignments to compare, contrast, and critique. So here is the first idea. I am starting broad to see what kind of variety we will bring to the table. Future ones may be more specific.

Assignment: A picture that shows "harmony." Harmony is defined as:

compatibility in opinion and action
the structure of music with respect to the composition and progression of chords
a harmonious state of things in general and of their properties (as of colors and sounds); congruity of parts with one another and with the whole
agreement of opinions
an agreeable sound property

Please post EXIF data, the shot, and a shot of your setup in your post! Enjoy.

Friends don't let friend....

Sinh Nhut Nguyen — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:09:06 GMT

PIXEL PEEP!

watch for yourself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0toBw68L5Y4&feature=player_embedded

Eye-Fi: why no CF format?

wickerprints — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:54:47 GMT

I've heard about the Eye-Fi SD cards for some time now, and they seem like a really nifty solution for wireless data transfer, geotagging, etc. What I haven't been able to figure out, though, is why this card is only available in the SD form factor. You would think that if they made a CF version, DSLR owners would be all over it. I know I would! I would gladly trade some capacity for the ability to seamlessly transfer photos over a wireless network, and/or have integrated GPS tagging.

So what gives? Anybody have an idea why such a thing does not yet exist? You would think it would actually be easier to do, given that SD is much, much smaller than CF.

WTSell: Canon 30D Body Only MINT CONDITION!

Thevology — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:30:50 GMT

MINT condition. It comes with everything that came with it when purchased. It also comes with a free $40gb CF. My price for it is $600. Email thevology@hotmail.com if interested.

Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera Review

Bryan Carnathan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:51:13 GMT

Discuss the Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera Review - Tell us what you think of the Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera.

Photography Regulations in Central Europe

Grant Tobin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:48:38 GMT

In March, myself and approximately 250 other individuals are doing a music performance tour from Amsterdam through Germany, eventually ending in Salzburg. I am the group photographer and have nearly everything setup for the trip. However, I am worried that in some of the cities (Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich) have regulations with regards to "commercial" photography (tripods/2-3 monoblocs) in the cities. Does anyone have experience within these cities and have any advice to offer as to how to avoid problems?

Thanks,

Bare flash still looks a little harsh...How can I make it look better? [Light Modifiers]

Sean Setters — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:09:29 GMT

Sections:

1. Interested in Strobism?

2. If my flash isn't on my camera, what is it attached to?

3. Bare flash still looks a little harsh...How can I make it look better? [Light Modifiers]

So, this was a long in coming...

Seriously, I've been quite busy the last couple of months. Plus the task of completing this thread (and covering each modifier in detail) was quite intimidating. So instead of going into grueling detail like usual, I'm just going to give a quick rundown of the basic modifiers. That way, if you want to learn more, you'll know where to start your research.

Alrighty then. So your flash is off your camera. And you've somehow found a way to trigger it when you press the shutter button. Congratulations! Have you tested it out? Have you done some shots? My guess is that you probably have. And I'm also going to assume you've noticed something--the light (generally speaking) isn't very flattering. It creates very hard-edged shadows wherever the light doesn't reach. The problem is your flash is a small light source. Small light sources cause hard [lined] shadows. Large light sources produce a degree of gradient from highlight to shadow that is generally more pleasurable to the eyes.

So how do we turn the light coming from your tiny shoe-mount flash into something that strikes your subject with the flattery of a sincere compliment? Well, generally speaking, by making it larger. We do this by reflecting the light off of larger surfaces or else shooting through translucent ones (diffusing the light). Not every light modifier is designed to give you a large light source--but as your main lights are generally larger, let's start with them.

Umbrellas - Well, this is probably the most important tool for any strobist photographer--the venerable umbrella. It's relatively cheap, easy to use, and a perfect way to get started with off-camera flash use. There are only a few things you need to know about umbrellas, and I'll try to cover them quickly. White umbrellas are probably the most useful because you can use them in a reflective fashion or else as a shoot-through light modifier. Generally speaking, if used as a reflective umbrella, the light may be a little more diffused and will not be as powerful (as the surface is farther away from your subject). When used as a shoot-through umbrella, they can be placed much closer to the subject as you don't have to worry about the lightstand getting in the shot. Silver umbrellas are used as reflective umbrellas only. The light coming from a silver umbrella is generally cooler and a little more contrasty (I know, that's not even a word) than the light coming from a white umbrella. If you're doing a fashion-oriented shoot, then a silver umbrella might be a good option. There are umbrellas with other colored panels that have specific uses (like Gold panels that shed warm light on your subject). Personally, my favorite is the Westcott 43" White Collapsible umbrella (although I have 2 silver ones as well).

**DIY Tip: If you don't have an umbrella, you can create a fairly large light source simply by hanging a fairly thin bed sheet between your flash and your subject.**

The shot below utilized flash shot through a white umbrella left of the subject (sun provided rim lighting).

Softboxes - So what is a softbox? Well, a softbox is basically a large box with a translucent material on one side. You shoot the flash into the body of the softbox (or else directly at the translucent material) and the light is made larger by the diffusion material. It works very much like a shoot-through umbrella with one exception--there is minimal light spillage. When you use use a white umbrella, some light passes through the umbrella while the rest gets reflected back in the opposite direction. If you're trying to light specific areas of your subject while indoors, then that means you've got all sorts of light bouncing off the walls and contaminating the artsy lighting you're trying to create. Take this shot for example where a softbox was used:

Considering this was shot in a relatively small room, with a background that was very close to the subject, I don't think I could have achieved similar results without using a tool that controlled light spillage. In fact, the 28" Westcott Apollo I used in the picture above also has a protruding black rim along the edge of the diffusion material that helps control light spillage that much more. While I like the Westcott Apollo, I find it cumbersome and time consuming to set up and take down. It also didn't come with a carrying case, so I keep in in the plastic it was shipped in. On the other hand, my 15" Alzo Mini Softbox gets used quite a bit. The diffusion surface is smaller, yet it's much easier to travel with and is relatively fast to set up and take down (and it's also about half the price of the Westcott Apollo).

Keep in mind that softboxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some have specialized names like strip lights (which are taller than they are wide). In the end, they all work the same way.

Beauty Dish - To be honest, I just got my first beauty dish last week. I haven't had very much time to really nail down what this thing can do, but I'm enjoying the initial results. I tried to come up with a good way to describe this light modifier, but I found Wiki's description fairly adequate.

"A beauty dish uses a parabolic reflector to distribute light towards a focal point. The light created is between that of a direct flash and a softbox, hence giving the image a wrapped, contrasted look, which adds a very dramatic effect!"

You can think of a beauty dish as a large spotlight. The light in the middle is quite intense, but the intensity falls off considerably the farther you move from center. A beauty dish allows you to focus a beam of light in a specific area of your frame. My best example is this:

Notice how there isn't any discernible light spillage in the photo. The light hitting the subject is intense and has a hard quality in the center, yet seems to soften up as the light radiates from the middle. I used a 14" Lumodi beauty dish suspended over the subject using a boom pole. Now the guys at Lumodi are basically a startup company and are currently hand making these things to order. It isn't necessarily cheap--however, it is cheap when you compare it to other beauty dishes available. I took a chance on it, and so far I'm loving how the light looks when I use it.

Ring Flash - Of all the light modifiers I mention, I have the least experience with this one. Let me rephrase that--I have no experience with ring flashes. A ring flash is a circular-shaped light modifier that is generally used on the lens axis. It it used quite often in the fashion industry as the ring flash basically kills all the shadows that may bring attention to the model's slightly imperfect complexion. The ring flash also produces a halo shadow around the subject. There are dedicated ring flashes as well as ring reflectors that turn your flash into a ring flash. Either way, the results are the same. David Hobby [the strobis himself] recently did a blog post comparing different ring flashes. If you're interested, check it out here.

Snoot - Wow, that's a funny word, isn't it? So what in the hell is a "snoot," you ask? Well, quite simply, it's a tool used to narrow your flash's beam of light. Remember earlier we were talking about light spillage? Well, a snoot attaches to the end of your flash and allows you to restrict its output to a small area and prevent a large amount of spillage. Snoots do not soften the light because they do not make it larger (in fact, they make it smaller). Snoots work well with hairlights because you can restrict the light to just the hair if you'd like. Honestly, I don't use a snoot very often. Honl Photo makes a snoot that you can attach to your flash, but I use a couple of sheets of craft foam glued together and a couple of strips of velcro to create a funnel that goes on the end of my flash. It's a cheap and easy solution for the few times I need it.

Grid - A grid attaches to the end of your flash and is usually made up of small circular tubes (almost like shooting your flash through a box of straws). A grid is much like a snoot in that it restricts the output of your flash. However, while a snoot produces a hard edge between highlight and shadow, a grid produces a gradient between them. It's kind of like a beauty dish, except an a much smaller scale. I find that when I want the restricted output of a snoot, I generally use a grid instead because I like the gradient it provides. Grids are a great DIY project as many people make their own (out of straws, no less, and other tubular substances). Personally, I like the grids in foam housing made by SaxonPC. They are custom fitted for your particular flash, and you can get several different sizes giving you different degrees of spread. I like the versatility of having the whole set. I used a grid above the subject in the following shot. Notice how perfectly circular the light is beneath her, while still providing a small amount of gradient from highlight to shadow.

Flag - Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. A flag is a material you put between your flash and whatever you don't want the light emitted from your flash to hit (sometimes a flag is referred to as a "gobo"). It's a barrier, that's all. It's useful if you're wanting your flash to cover a large area, yet you don't want it to hit a particular spot. For my money, I keep a few 3x5" index cards and a roll of gaffer's tape in my lighting kit. There are pre-made solutions available, but I don't use flags enough to warrant spending more money on them. The index cards have worked when I needed them to.

Gels - Gels are a very important part of a strobist's lighting kit, yet they don't get as much attention as some of the higher-profile light modifiers found above. A gel is simply a colored piece of transparent material that you place on the end of your flash. When the light passes through it, it changes color. Gels are handy in allowing you to create special effects like in the grid photo above. However, they also allow a photographer to balance the light coming from his flash with the ambient light of the surroundings. This is a very important concept. Using an orange (CTO) gel when photographing indoors may allow you to balance your flash with any tungsten lights that may be providing fill or background illumination. In the end, if you don't like the color of the light in your photo, you can do a global white balance adjustment to find the color that works best. If you don't gel the flash, then your white balance adjustment will take much more time as you'll have to do individual adjustments on different areas of the photo. Take it from me--buy some gels and read the strobist's Lighting 101 section on gels. As for me, I'm a fan of Photogels.com. The 2x5 strips from Photogels fit well into the gel holder of my Vivitar 285HVs.

Reflector - A reflector reflects light (can't be much simpler than that!). Reflectors can be used to add fill light to areas of a photo where light currently isn't hitting. Think of it this way--a reflector is almost like having another flash. Reflectors come with many different surfaces--but white, silver, and gold tend to be the most prominent. There are thousands of strobists who use reflectors as a primary tool in their lighting kit. I don't. I find that they're too much trouble to set up and position (and reposition until you find just the angle of reflectivity you were looking for). I've got tons of flashes--I'll simply throw up another lightstand and umbrella to use as my fill. That said, they can be very useful tools if you become proficient with them. Ok, now for the recommendation: try white foam core first as that may be all you need. Else, try wrapping some tin foil over some cardboard. If you find you need a more permanent solution, there are dozens upon dozens of reflectors for purchase. Of all the reflectors I've seen (and yes, I do own a large one that rarely gets used), California Sunbounce's Sun-Mover is probably the most interesting. The problem with most reflectors is that they expand like a windshield reflector, yet don't stay taut. Once a reflector looks like a potato chip, it doesn't work as you'd expect it. The Sun-Mover has high strength tension rods that keep the reflective surface flat.

One thing about reflectors is that they can be used without off-camera flash. By reflecting sunlight, you can certainly light your subject. There is a problem with using a reflector this way--the subject can be blinded. Actually, I don't really care if the subject is blinded--however, I really don't like it when my subject is squinting.

So there you have it. I'm sure I overlooked something, but for now, that'll have to do. I'll update it if I find something important that I've omitted.

when shooting indoors in fairly low light, how do you set yout camera??

jks_photo — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:45:32 GMT

when shooting indoors and fairly low light is available how do you setup your camera???

What shooting mode do you prefer?

Do you use bounce flash?? flash diffusers??

What ISO speed do you use??

I just want to get a little insight on what other people are doing when shooting indoors so that I can hopefully improve my IQ when shooting indoors.

I use an XTi with 430ex and 24-70 2,8 lens. Yes i do bounce flash and use a garyfong clear diffuser. I usually shoot in AV mode. I find that ISO 400 is the highest usable ISO on my XTi.

Canon EOS 450D Lenses

alge — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:43:46 GMT

Hello,

I am new to the photography field, and very much interested in this field, As a beginner, Recently I brought Canon EOS 450D + 18-55 IS lens ,and I liked it very much.

Now I am thinking of upgrading the lens to a professional one. (and would like to keep my 450D)

Could you please share your experience ..

I am interested in

1. General photography

2. Landscapes/Nature/flowers

3. Family photos

After reviewing many websites and forums, I stuck with 2 lenses( Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM and Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens)

From experienced reviews , I think 24-70 is more professional one but I am concerned about few things

1. 24-70

1a. Does it suits my EOS 450D?

1c. As this is heavy, does it damage my 450D ?

2. 17-55

2a. Does it suits my EOS 450D?

2b. Heard that this is dust catching one

Could you please share your experience and suggest good professional lens for my EOS 450D

Thanks in advance

regards

Alge

I can't get a sharp picture for the life of me!

jlau — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:36:23 GMT

Camera: 7d

Lens: 17-55mm f/2.8

I bought this lense SO I could shoot in low lighting. The boyfriend thinks its the lense. I think its me. So what am I doing wrong? Some pictures are coming out sharp but very few and inconsistently. The rest are very soft.

I have tried various ranges, shutter speeds, iso's and aperture settings.

Is it because of my low shutter speeds? At 1/50 and 1/20 with apertures of f/5 my boyfriend can get a perfectly sharp shot in similar lighting (5dII with kit lens). Are my hands just not still enough? Am I choosing horrible objects to focus on? I'm getting frustrated because I can't fix what I don't know is wrong.

Two examples of the sharpest I can get...

How many shots did you take?

Fast Glass — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:38:38 GMT

I was wondering out of pure idle curiousity, how many clicks on your single shutter you have?

I'll start off, about 15,000 on a XTI. The camera broke before the shutter.

The most I have ever heard of was a whopping 4,000,000 on a 40D!!!!! Now thats a lot of pictures!!!! Here is the link http://www.olegkikin.com/shutterlife/canon_eos40d.htm.

Manfrotto Tripod - Opinions

Maleko — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:00:21 GMT

I have got a few weddings comming up in January, and I'm after a new decent Tripod. Not wanting to spend tooo much on a tripod kit, but this is the kit I am looking at:

Manfrotto 055X Pro B Tripod

Manfrotto 804RC2 3-Way Head

Manfrotto Tripod Bag MBAG 70N

In all about £187 (about $310 - correct me if the convertor I used was wrong)

If people think this is a good line up, then let me know, unless you have other reccomendations for that price.

an unwelcome 1st shot with the new lens...

mattsartin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:54:24 GMT

picked up my new Tamron SP 10-24mm Di II and went out looking for a good place to take some pics, after driving down this road and not seeing any driveways to turn around in I attempted to on the road, the results follow..

There wasn't a ditch or anything along the road, just a 2'x2' hole that i happened upon! So two hours later three friends pushed me out and this was the best i got today :'(

What metering mode do i use??

jks_photo — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:29:36 GMT

What's the best metering mode to use on an XTi??

Need help with posing

Joel Bookhammer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:21:59 GMT

On Nov 28th Im doing a family portrait for a coworker. I have a backdrop, stands lights etc. But I have no clue at the moment on how to pose/seat them. The arrangement of them I can do but what have you found that works best for seating? Regular armless chairs, stools, benches, milk crates, buckets? The background will be black and will also cover the floor.

I currently only have normal armless chairs at my disposal, along with maybe 2 stools, other then that Im willing to spend some money as long as it isnt too high.

Thanks

Joel