What's This Camera Thing About?

Flash??

2010-12-01T03:53:00.000-05:00

Ummm.... ok. So I'm practicing the whole strobey light thingy. Ok, so I've mentioned that strobing is hard, right? It takes practice. If you don't have time to learn it, you're going to get really frustrated, really fast. Either committ to learning and seeing light or find a different hobby. The photo above is a self portrait. The goal of the photo was to light a portion of my face. Is the photo perfect? Well, it depends on what YOU consider perfect. Did I accomplish my goal and learn something during the process? Absolutely! To get the shot, I used my SB600, a shoot-through umbrella and the movie screen in my basement as the backdrop. Lesson learned: Patience is a virtue, Shutter speed is a God-send.

White Balance is a son-of-a........

2010-11-14T23:11:00.001-05:00

For the record....If your White Balance is set to auto in your camera, please be mindful of the maximum color temperature that the automatic feature supports. Nikon's D700's white balance works quite well. Problem is, it only works between 3500-8000 Kelvin. Drop below 3500K and your pictures will look like yuck.

If you're thinking, "Oh, I'll just fix it in post," you're sadly mistaken. Thinking about clicking the auto white balance feature in Lightroom or PhotoShop? Yeah, well... good luck with that. Let me know how that works for ya. I'm not saying that it can't be done. I AM SAYING that there are better uses of your time than correcting the white balance of 300 photos that have various lighting scenarios.

Here's the thing. If you're using the auto white balance feature on the camera, do yourself a favor. Get some gels, and an expodisc. Now, I'm not saying that you HAVE to purchase those items, but I am saying that if you don't, you'll want to shoot yourself in the face upon viewing the results of not having utilized those items.

Nothing ticks me off more than crappy white balance. It's one thing to artistically use white balance. It's another thing to not know how to set white balance and proving that you're a moron.

Walking into the light....

2010-10-09T00:43:00.002-04:00

Yeah, well.....obviously I'm getting ready to do the flash thingy. Yeppers. I've got a couple of speedlights (SB-900 and SB-600) and I think I'm ready to take on the world. Ok, well.... maybe not.

I'm reading Hot Shoe Diaries, Nikon CLS Digital Field Guide and Understanding Exposure all at once. My husband thinks I'm studying for the final exam of Photography Lala Land. It kinda feels like it too. This lighting thing is no JOKE!

Thanks to Hugh Toward over at http://www.cameracard.ca for being my guide and making plain English out of what I'm reading. This stuff can be complicated, but having Hugh is making all the difference in the world. Besides... who else can say that their Jedi-Light Master tutors them from Canada, eh?!! Hugh rocks! By the way, if you're looking for stuff... Hugh sells camera stuff!

Another day...

2010-09-09T23:10:00.002-04:00

Photography is OVERWHELMING!!!!!! There. I said it. I'm not the first, and I definitely won't be the last. Photography is so overwhelming that I want to shoot everything and nothing at the same time. Perhaps I should spend more time with Adobe's CS5 Master Collection. Simply owning such a magnificent piece of software heaven isn't enough. I should learn to fully appreciate it. Eh, but not tonight. I'm tired.

My Big 'Fat' Street Photography

2010-08-17T21:51:00.003-04:00

I love Street Photography anything remotely close to what I consider hyper-photojournalism. It's fun. It's amazing. It's anti-everything that people hate about themselves. I recently posted some of the street shots that I captured at the county fair. Whew! Talk about folks getting upset! The photos that got the most attention, were of very large women standing in line at various concession stands. Those photos hit a nerve.

Personally, I find a photo of an overweight person standing in the 'fried Oreos' line very amusing. Why are people getting offended, as if I had done something wrong? This was not an expose on 'Obese Americans', I took photos of situations that amused me.

At what point did 'fat' become a protected class? Is the expectation that 'Street' photography exclude fat people and only capture thinner people? Wouldn't that be an act of discrimination? I digress.

Pay no attention to the man behind the camera.....

2010-05-19T22:46:00.003-04:00

...and don't hire him either. There seems to be some confusion about who or what a photographer is or isn't. Frankly, I think that the confusion is baseless. Yes, it's baseless. Why? It's baseless because the most important thing that a photographer isn't just some guy or gal with a camera. Consider the following:

1. If your great uncle Bob, get's a DSLR for Hanukkah, he is NOT a photographer.

2. If your mother's neighbor's step daughter from Iceland takes a class in in grade school on the history of Eastman Kodak and owns a polaroid, she is not a photographer.

3. Purchasing a D40 does not make a person a photographer. While I understand that some will make the argument for diffusion, sorry... it's not gonna work.

4. Owning a camera and hanging out at Nikon-Digital does not make a person a photographer.

5. Being a complete gear-whore of all things Nikon doesn't make you a photographer. It simply means that you either have parents who were generous with your trust fund or the cops are simply waiting to apprehend you and reclaim the money you stole from the bank.

I loathe folks who acquire a camera and then self-proclaim the title of Photographer within minutes. Did I say "loathe?" Perhaps I didn't use strong enough language. It pisses me off.

If you can't figure out why there's a yellow haze to your photos, maybe it's not a good idea to open up shop. Photography is serious. Titling oneself as Photographer means that you take full responsibility for immortalizing life. The word 'life' only has four letters, but it's a pretty big and powerful word. The word 'life' is SOOOOO important, that it keeps company with the likes of other big words such as 'civil litigation' and 'bankruptcy'.

People with cameras who don't have the chutzpah to post their work such sites as DP Review, Photocamel, or Nikon-Digital for C&C are not Photographers. Heck, GOD BLESS anyone that can manage to crawl past any of these forums with all of their teeth and their tails not tucked between their legs. The folks that play at these playgrounds can piss on an ant's ass from an airplane.

A good photographer can earn a lot of money. A good photographer cares about the quality of their work and the strength of their reputation.

A good friend will look at your photos and say, "Ooooh, nice pic!" A good photographer will say, "Are you fucking kidding me? You're gonna attach your name to that shit and try to sell it?"

Exposure Value: What The Hell Is It?

2010-02-27T22:41:00.004-05:00

I'm sure that if you ask 20 people for the definition of Exposure Value, half will give you a definition for Exposure Compensation while the other half will provide an answer to a question that you didn't ask. In his book, The Betterphoto Guide to Exposure, Sean Arbabi writes the following definition about Exposure Value:

"... is a method that was created to simplify exposure combinations for certain measurements of light. The term is used throughout digital photography and can be a bit puzzling, since it's applied in a variety of ways: to measure light, for incremental settings in your aperture or shutter speed, for your meter using exposure compensation and so on. If you get a little lost in this section, move forward and then refer back to it from time to time; as you learn more about exposure, EV may begin to make better sense."

Now, if you're new photography (like me), the aforementioned paragraph reads like a pile of horse poo! Yep. It went straight over my head. After MUCH research, I've found a better way of explaining it. Upon reading my definition, you'll think, "Darn. That's it?"

Exposure Value is a 'nickname'. That's right. It's a nickname. Here's an over-simplified non-photography related example: I have a good friend whose name is Linda Consuelo Epstein. Instead of calling her Linda Consuelo Epstein, we call her Linn; it's easy to remember and suites her. Whenever someone says, "Hey Linn!" She knows that they are addressing her, because Linn, which is her nickname, is short for Linda Consuelo Epstein.

Here's another over-simplified example: If someone asks me my daughter's age, I COULD say, "Oh, she's 1,239 days (exposure value)" or "She was born October(ISO) 7(Aperture), 2006(shutter speed)." The combination of ISO, Aperture, and Shutter speed is Exposure Value.

Now, don't get me wrong, Exposure Value isn't just ANY old combination of ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed, it's SUPPOSED to be the perfect combination of ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed for a given situation.

On a bright sunny day, if EV is 15, Aperture=f/16, ISO=100, and Shutter speed=1/125. How did I come up with that? I looked at the chart you ninny! No one in their right mind sits around and calculates this mess! NO ONE! EVERY ONE PULLS OUT A CHART! Could you calculate Exposure Value for yourself? Sure, but why bother? Your camera does it for you.

At this point you're probably looking for the Exposure Value setting in your camera. Sorry but you'll find not such thing, unless of course, you recognize that your camera's meter is the modern day abacus for Exposure Value. That's right, balance your camera's meter and you've in essence, calculated the right exposure.

So the next question is probably, "Why are people making this out to be more than what it is?" The correct answer is either because they can, or they are confusing Exposure Value with Exposure Compensation. Exposure Compensation is the adjustment that you make to an Exposure. Let's say you meter off your subject, and the perfect exposure is f/16, ISO 100 and shutter speed of 1/125 and you find that it's too bright. Making an adjustment to underexpose the shot by a third of a stop (-.3) is Exposure Compensation.

In summary, Exposure Value is perfect combination of Aperture, ISO and shutter speed for a given situation. Exposure Compensation is the adjustment to that exposure.

Oh No He Didn't!!!!!

2010-02-14T01:10:00.004-05:00

Ok, so it's been an eventful day. Today I volunteered to shoot a birthday party for an Indian family. Aside from the cultural child-rearing differences, I had a ball. The families were quite hospitable, they insist on feeding you and it was a warm and loving environment. I didn't expect anything different.

The family found me on the internet, while looking for a clown. They couldn't believe that I'd take photos of their event free of charge. I gave them three hours coverage and I got just as much out of it as they did.

Now here's where things got a bit weird. While it's not unusual that there will be someone else at the same venue with a camera, it's QUITE unusual to have them follow you around and attempt to make the same shots! For every one shot he'd attempt, I'd fire off three and it really started to get annoying. I didn't expect to be the 'only' gig in town, but I did expect to be able to do my own thang and I don't recall requesting a second-shooter. The dude had gone rogue and copycat all in the same breath!

WHEW! It's HOT In Here!

2010-01-31T20:45:00.004-05:00

For the record, I'm not one of those folks that doesn't believe that fire burns until I stick my hand in the flames. Nope. Not me. It's not that I have issues with taking risks, I simply have issues with taking unnecessary risks. Unnecessary risk is simply stupid. This is not to say that I've never done anything stupid. I'm just picky about my opportunities to be stupid.

I am pickiest when it comes to spending money. In a word, I'm CHEAP. Yadda, yadda, yadda....I know, I picked the wrong hobby in which to be a cheapskate. Just let me explain. I don't purchase cheap gear, I simply don't like to part with my money. I do however, after much bellyaching, purchase quality goods. Sheesh!

Ted, over at Nikon-Digital posted a REALLY great tip recently. He mentioned that he purchases backdrops from Home Depot. Go figure, eh? I thought that this was the best idea EVER! I ran down the street to my local Home Depot and picked up a 9x12 drop cloth. It cost me a paltry $20, WOO HOO! I also picked up some 3/4 PVC piping, two elbow connectors and a couple of t-connectors and VOILA! Instant backdrop and stand. The whole setup cost roughly $32 (and I'm a happy gal).

I also picked up a couple of clamp lights (cost: $6 each). I've got a roll of aluminum foil to make a reflector, some construction paper to make a snoot and a few other things.

Ok, so I'm sure you're wondering where this is all going, right? Well, if you haven't figured it out, you've got more problems than I could ever hope to never have. This is not my permanent setup (well, I'm sure I'll never trash the backdrops). I'm in learning mode and don't want to waste money on stuff I don't understand.

The future of 'strobiliciousness' for me may be a little snuggle time with Alien Bees (an idea I got from Mike Hodgson). Of course, I haven't ruled out speedlights just yet. Hugh at CameraCard just sent me some REALLY great photos that have got my brain-wheels a-spinning. Stay tuned folks, it's about to get HOT in here!

Walmart? Really?

2010-01-11T17:07:00.004-05:00

Ok, so this is my first post of 2010. Where has the time gone, and can you believe that I've been hanging out 'round these parts for a year? Go figure, eh? And no, the 'eh' is not an import from Canada. I've always used that word. Ok, well... maybe it's not a word, but I think you get my drift.

Christmas was nice. Uber-hubby got me what I wanted, a new tripod. Yeppers, I'm the proud owner of Bogen's Manfrotto 190XB tripod with 486RC2 Ball head. Ooooh YEAH BABY! Me likey and love it long time! This was exactly what I wanted. Nothing like being married to a man that can follow instructions! Woot!

The next gift that he got was completely unexpected, as I only wanted a respectable tripod. This gift was in a huge box and too heavy for me to lift. Upon opening it, I discovered a huge angular item covered in packing foam. My immediate thought was, "This foam-crap is gonna get in my hair, choke the dog and take forever to clean off the carpet." Perhaps my thought was a bit ungrateful, but considering the fact that I am tasked with keeping my house clean and my hair brushed, it was warranted. At some point, the dog needs to be smart enough to stop eating every darn thing he sees.

In the box was a printer. Initially, I simply looked at it and wondered what the hell my husband was thinking. Yeah, In know you're thinking that I should be happy, but we're talking about a man who once gave me a sewing machine for Christmas and all of his suit pants to hem.

The printer didn't have a manual and I had to do some searching to find out whether or not it would be safe to operate and not set the house on fire. And it went a little something like this:

Me: Hi I need to get some information on this printer.

Kodak: Sure, ma'ame. What model is it?

Me: It's a 6850.

Kodak: Ok Ma'me. Which store are you calling from, Walmart?

Me: Are you trying to be funny?

Kodak: No ma'ame. Are you calling from a kiosk?

Me: Why are you asking me that? Why can't you simply tell me where I can order a manual or something.

Kodak: Ma'ame, your employer should have a manual.

Ok, I'll spare you the rest of the details. Yes, my husband purchased a printer like the one they have in Walmart. Yes, really. I asked Kodak's rep how many pictures I'd be able to produce and he said, "Oh, thousands."

At some point over the years, I must have had the "Why can't you get me what I asked for," conversation with my husband one too many times, and as men do, he misunderstood and THOUGHT THAT I MEANT, "Honey, please purchase everything that I say I like," to save his own ass.

I recall at some point in the year saying how kewl it must be to have a sub-dye printer. I NEVER said, "HONEY WILL YOU BUY THE PRINTER THEY HAVE IN WALMART?"

I'm not being ungrateful. I'm rather proud of my new acquisition. I just have to be mindful that I married the kind of man that will do anything to put a smile on face. Ok, but in all seriousness.... how many of my friends are gonna stop printing at Walmart and come to my house? I reckon it would make for great conversation during scrapbook parties.

Thanks, Babe!

Merry Christmas/Happy New Year...All of the above

2009-12-31T14:50:00.002-05:00

Well boys and girls, tomorrow is next year. Time to get one last post on the books before next year.

Ok. I can't come up with nothing in particular. See ya next year.

Happy Anniversay to Me!

2009-12-05T10:58:00.002-05:00

November 19, 2009 marked one year that I've been shooting with a DSLR. I started with the D90 and then upgraded to the D700. It's been one heckuva ride. I've learned a lot and have had quite a bit of fun.

One of the most important lessons that I learned during my journey is the importance of good gear, namely a tripod. When you're new at this, there's a tendency to not want to spend money on things that you don't percieve as important. Although I'm still a novice, let me make one thing clear: GET A GOOD TRIPOD. I'm not talking about the $15 variety. I'm not saying that you have to take out a second mortgage on your house or anything, I'm just saying spend a little coin. Take your camera and heaviest lens and head to a camera store. Yes, head to a camera store....not just a store that sells electronics.

The second most important thing I learned is that advice from gear-heads is not gospel. I'm talking about those people who are always on the hunt for the next best thing. They constantly complain and never add anything substantive to any civil conversation and constantly whine. When Nikon made the D90, they wanted a D90X. Not that they had tried the D90, they just wanted something to complain about.

Last, take pictures. Don't be a post whore and post nothing but your opinions. Get out and shoot.

Let there be light? In a dark club?

2009-11-22T20:08:00.007-05:00

Ok, so I started a thread on my favorite photography asking posters to give me some advice on taking photos in a Club. The BEST advice I received, was to use flash. Go figure, eh? No, seriously... I didn't know.

A friend had asked me to photograph his party at a club. I agreed and immediately realized that this would be a great learning experience. When I arrived at the club, I decided that the flash seemed bulky and unsexy, and decided to leave it in my vehicle. My second thought was, "I have a D700 I can take pictures in the dark!" The first time I tried to take a picture, I couldn't. A group of people posed, I pressed the shutter, and NOTHING! I was immediately embarassed. Did my D700 and Tamron 28-70 f/2.8 fail me? Nope. Autofocus can't focus in the dark. I needed my flash.

After retrieving my flash, all was well with the world. The camera and lens were back in business and I felt like a rockstar! Folks were crawling out of the crevices to get their pictures taken. Had I not been 'working' I might have even accepted some of the free drinks that people were attempting to give me.

Let's talk about one of the responses that I received to my thread, shall we?

Alex Ratson (Professional) posted:

I would go with a flash although I will disagree on some of the points
regarding how to use it under these situations.

-I would set the flash/camera to rear curtain sync, this will allow the ambient light and atmosphere of the club soak in while still freezing your subjects motion.
-Set the Flash to just normal TTL and then +/- as need be.
-Apply a full cut C.T.O gel OR the Nikon supplied incandescent gel (amber in colour) and set your white balance to incandescent. This will ad a bit of warmth to your flesh
tones and help balance the light from your flash with those of the club.
-lastly, get the flash off camera. I normally will use either a sync cord or
use the popup flash on my D700 set to commander mode and then just hold my
speedlight in my left hand.

Remember, the flash will help freeze any action such as dancing so going with a slow shutter speed will not hurt you and will actually help by allowing more of the ambient light to soak in to your shot Vs. going with a fast shutter speed which will make your subject look like they are in a black hole and not provide the night club feel, full of funky colored lights and what not.

If you have a small softbox or light modifier feel free to use it. Bouncing off a white wall or ceiling can also work great although a lot of night clubs either have a fairly high ceiling or have a none white ceiling, both of which are not really bounce friendly.

When I initially read Alex's response, two things happened: I realized that I'd have to perform a google search to decipher his response and that I was waist-high in an incredible learning opportunity. It was time to get to work.

Ok, so what's rear-curtain sync?

Bless Me Nikonian Father, For I Have Sinned...

2009-11-13T18:31:00.010-05:00

It has been several days since my last confession...and yes, I am back to admit my transgressions yet again. You see, since the day we met, I have not been able to separate myself from my D700. We go to the grocery store together, the mall and even the nail salon. It is my most constant and faithful companion. I care DEEPLY for my D700 and would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship. Well, that was until last night.

Last night I bumped into an old friend. It was unintentional and quite innocent. I don't know what came over me. I mean, I didn't intentionally want anything to happen, it just happened....and I am so ashamed. Shamefully, I admit that the moment of rapture was worth it... at least until the guilt set in.

I'm a firm believer that the past should stay.... well, the past... but again, last night was different. I thought I was over it. In my mind, I had moved past those old feelings, but my heart subconsciously feel the same. This became quite apparent as I slyly moved closer to the drawer. I didn't mean any harm. I just wanted to peek....... and there it was.........................my Nikon L12. Oh, how it shimmered in the darkness with it's silver coating. I had some good times with that camera. The more time I spend learning about photography and my D700, the more that camera makes sense. I now see that studly compact piece of P&S with different eyes. It has all the things a girl could want in a camera: VR, 7.1 megapixels, and ISO 1600. Our rendezvous was brief. A click here, a snapshot there. It was exciting.

My experience brought a new dynamic to the old saying, "It's not the camera, but the photographer behind the lens." That statement, my friends, is simply not true. My L12 can never give me what my D700 gives me. Sure, the L12 is good for a quickie, but it's nothing like the hours of joy I experience with the D700. The D700 is faster, stronger and far more satisfying. It has more options... longer lenses, wider apertures.

I don't know what the future will bring for my L12. Sadly, I'm not too concerned. Wait, let me think about that for a second. I can't take the D700 to the Marine Corps Ball. We'd look a little strange together given I'd be wearing a ball gown. Perhaps another fling with the L12 is in order.

*smile*

People with Cameras

2009-11-12T16:03:00.005-05:00

Photographers are due some measure of respect that is long overdue. Having a camera does not make you anymore a Photographer than dispensing cough medicine to my husband makes me a nurse or doctor.

I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the number of people running around calling themselves a Photographer. I believe that I've ranted about this before. Today I was on a website that I frequent a and one of the soon to married chicks posted her engagement photos. Insert VOMIT >>HERE<<. It's almost as if the couple ordered from the menu of bad photography: "We'd like to order the poor composition, with a side of blown highlights and incorrect white-balance please."

Yes, I admit that the pictures posted were pretty bad. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to share with folks everything that I've learned. Red pill or green? Well, let's just say that some would rather slumber.

I'm not the greatest photographer ever. Hell, I'm not quite a photographer. I'm simply a chick with an expensive camera and darn good sense. There ain't no way in three burning hades that I would charge money for what I'm doing at my level. Oh well. This is America. People will charge for anything... even if it's a pile of shit.

Kicking Family to the Curb....

2009-11-07T08:50:00.002-05:00

Am I really wrong for wanting some quality time with my camera? I mean, it's not like I'm sleeping with it or anything (yet). I just want so spend some one on one time getting to know it a little better. Perhaps a nice quiet dinner or a stroll in the park with it, ALONE, would make me feel better. I would even like for 'us' to attend church. I mean, I don't need to take a hot shower with it and have it wash my back or anything. I just want to be alone with it.

It never fails that everytime I want to hang out with the camera, life happens. Clients start calling...kids start whining... the dog needs to walked. By no stretch am I complaining about my life, I'm just saying that I want some alone time with my camera.

I get alone time with my daughter, who's three, and I am starting to realize that she wants to have time with the camera, too. She's always wanting sit next to the camera or find an excuse for the camera to take her picture. Secretly, I think she wants 'in' on the relatioship. I'm not quite sure that this is something that I want to share. I've given her a camera of her very own, but for some reason, she continues to pursue a relationship with MY camera.

My boys only want sporadic visitation with the camera. They want it to attend school functions and be there when they need it most. I think I'm ok with that kind of relationship and won't have to be concerned with even the most remote possibility of any indecent liberties.

Thankfully, my husband has no interest in my camera. He's quite faithful to his P&S Oly.

Such is life. I don't want to share.

My Tony is Back!

2009-11-02T10:19:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I'm really hoping that the wife of the guy that owns the company that stole Tony's internet connection, breaks a fingernail. Tony's been internet-free for a while and I've missed him. Trying to learn 'layers' without him last week was nothing short of frightful. Why? Well, because I don't speak Photoshop....specifically, the layers dialect. I'm glad he's back, not just for his Photoshop mastery, but I also missed his positive reinforcement of my photography development. He's always been great with the encouragement.

I also miss Kayne. He's super kewl, too. Life has happened to him, as it does with all of us, but just in a way that makes you appreciate your time here on this planet. Well wishes to you, my friend.

Onward. Today I'm swamped with kids. I often wonder why the school system here gives the teachers days off during the week on top of their weekends off. My plan for today is AGAIN, to attempt to go out and practice using my new lenses. I'll be doing this with my kids and some kids of a few other parents. Thank GOODNESS for SUVs.

Rushing Greatness...........

2009-11-01T18:42:00.004-05:00

Are you kidding me? You can't rush greatness. You can't rush goodness, and rushing mediocre only makes a mess. In short, there's no point in rushing if the expectation of an evenl slightly reasonable result is expected. Just hold your horses.

If you're wondering if this post is going somewhere, the answer is, "Yes." Well, maybe kinda sorta going somewhere. I reckon it depends on who you are, and whether or not you've made the mistakes that I've made.

I've been a little lazy. If you're gonna be a photographer, you can't be even a little lazy. Anything less than engaged simply makes you someone with a camera. If you're a person with a camera, and that camera JUST so happens to be a D700, then you're just an idiot. Today, I admit to being an idiot........but just today. Tomorrow is a different day.

Today I really wanted to take some pictures. Being the uber-wife that I am, I decided to give my husband some 'man time' and take our youngest out with me today. Dumb idea. I took her because I was in a RUSH to try my new Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. I've had it a couple of days and really wanted to get some grabs to post as samples. I was also suffering from cabin fever. I drove over to the river on this gloriously overcast day, opened the window of my truck and fired away.

When I uploaded the pictures to my computer, the photos were nothing short of dreadful. Who takes photos on a bright gray day at ISO 3200? Well, idiots do. Specifically, idiots who are rushing. Futher, idiots who are rushing, and treating their great piece of equipment like a P&S. What a waste of gas.

And what is the punishment for my indescretion? A full week of manual shooting should teach me a lesson. Nope, no Aperture, Shutter Speed or Program Modes (not that I use Program mode anyways).

Did you read the part where I said that my pictures were dreadful? There's no fixing them.

You love me, you love me not....

2009-10-28T15:58:00.003-04:00

Being new to photography is HARD! There's a lot of education involved. There's also a lot of money that will have to be spent. Let's start with the education.

The learning process of photography is endless. There is always SOMETHING to learn. The basics have taken me an entire year and I know full well that the 'basics' will never be mastered. The basics are ever changing and not basic at all. The only constants in photography are the definitions. Aperture will always be aperture, ISO will always be ISO. Application of the definitions is immeasurable.

Now let's talk about the money. Many more experienced Nikonistas seem to not understand why it is a a newbie (like myself) would consider a third party lens. Here's the truth:

1. At this stage of the game, I still don't know what the hell I'm doing. What I THINK I know, is only enough to keep me out of trouble. (For example, I'm not stupid enough to photograph a wedding)

2. I don't make enough money from photography to justify my purchases.

3. Making photography related purchases is VERY STRESSFUL FOR A NEWBIE. I often read reviews where posters write about 'bad copies' of a lens and this is an area where I feel I need supervision. For example. I've spent the last week continuously researching two lenses that I've ordered and I'm scared STILL scared to death. Who's going to check out my lenses for me? Yes, I'm purchasing them from a reputable dealer (shout out to Frank at Adorama who gets all the money I spend), but what if I have bad copies? How would I know? Is the Nikon label completely free of making bad copies? For newbies purchasing lenses is the equivalent of purchasing a car and later learning to drive.....if it's a crappy car, you may not know for a while. In a nutshell, I purchase third party lenses because it's cheaper to take a loss on a third-party lens than it is a Nikkor. Also, if my skill level with photography was a bit different, perhaps my answer would be different.

I THINK I can do this........

2009-10-22T09:26:00.009-04:00

Wow, where do I start? I've completed two shoots since my last post. The first shoot was for my son's soccer team. I did my youngest son's official team shots. They're pretty nice. I did myself proud and the parents are happy. I didn't make any money, but then again, I don't do this for the money.

Well, if it's not for the money, why do I do this? Truthfully? Therapy. This is my way of getting over my feelings for my wedding photos. Yes, I'm still sore, because I can't take back the day to get good pictures at this point. I'm learning photography to help myself figure out exactly what it takes to make bad pictures. So far, I've come up with gross neglect. I've been learning so much in this process that I truly believe that anyone who takes photos to earn money and has no earthly idea about what they're doing (other than pressing the shutter) is guilty of gross neglect and is just plain old selfish. There. I said it.

So anyways......... I did an AMAZING shoot on Sunday. I made Pregnancy Portraits for a friend, and I have to say, I'm impressed! Natural light does amazing things for a photo. AMAZING things. I reckon it's time to connect with my inner strobist.

Cream of the Crop?

2009-10-12T13:45:00.005-04:00

Boy, I tell ya! When someone turns on the light to a dark roach-infested room, they scatter! I know, I know. This is a crazy way to start a post, but this is best way to describe the feeling I got when I attached my Sigma 10-20 to my D700 last week. It was almost as if someone had stolen a portion of my picture.

As a newbie, I purchased a D90 and it has an APS-C (DX) format. As I climbed the educational scale, I rewarded myself with a D700 and it has a Full-Frame (FX) format. The fights on various websites persist even at this very moment regarding Crop Factors and which is better. So what does this have to do with anything? Well, when your first experience with DSLRs is with DX format and then you move to FX format, something changes. It's like a quickening. I'd read so much about the differences between DX & FX, but to be completely honest, I couldn't 'see' what all the hubbub was about..... well, until last Friday. My 50 mm f/1.8 gave the same results on my D90 as it did on my D700. The 'stolen' portion of my Sigma 10-20 photos is what made me see the light.

Take a look at the photo below. On an APS-C format, I'd get the whole room with teh Sigma 10-20. The photo below represents the Sigma 10-20 on full frame. Darn shame, eh? Time for the 12-24.

So what does this all mean? I have to spend more money. When I sold all my old lenses, I specifically saved the 10-20 because I didn't quite 'get it'. What a shocker! I 'get it' now and it's painfully obvious that I'm going to have to start rolling pennies to get the lenses that I need.

Photography is not for girls.......

2009-10-06T08:27:00.002-04:00

I am the epitome of 'girl'. I am a consummate consumer of all things prissy, pink and clean. I don't like to get my hands dirty and I get a manicure/pedicure twice a month. Heck, I even insist on having my nail polish match my clothing, and my makeup, and my shoes, and my camera bag.............. My idea of 'roughing it'? Room service.

Photography is NOT for girls. It's for adventurous women. The kind of women that can appreciate the beauty of nature and want to be a part of it. Women that will wade in the water to capture the perfect shot. The kind of woman that has the chutzpa to play with the biggest of big boys and achieve if a not an equal elevation of composition, the master of all masterpieces!

One such woman is Matt's (Maciek) wife. No, I've never met her, but her photos are visible on Nikon-Digital.ca for anyone up appreciate. Matt posted some of her work a few days ago and I instantly came to the conclusion that I need to 'step up my game', as his wife's pictures are phenomenal. In some cases, her photographs gives his a run for the money!

I doubt that she is concerned about coordinating her shoes to her bag when they're in the field. Breaking a nail probably never comes to mind either. I think I can say with 100% certainty that eyeshadow and lipgloss is not an issue on those days.

So, what I learned in writing about this? I've learned to be thankful for the cover that protects my LCD screen on my D700. Why? Because my foundation has a tendency to rub off my nose when I'm taking pictures. I've also learned that I should probably go to the nail salon more often to make sure that my nails stay at an active length and that wearing diamond studs is sure way to keep my jewelry at a minimum! My recommendation for getting the perfect shot while 'roughing it'? Go on the hotel balcony and don't use cheap glass. **snicker**

We all have our own strengths and weaknesses.

Way up in the sky little lamb, do you see what I see?

2009-09-24T15:56:00.003-04:00

I'm learning. It's an uphill battle and a lot of fun, but a battle none-the-less. There is still quite a bit to learn. I'm still working on composition and slowly making the transition to light.

In this episode of 'Dee's Learning to Take Pictures', we'll focus on comment and critique. There's an old saying, "How can a billion Chinese be wrong?" Well, they forgot to add, "How often do a billion Chinese agree?" Different people see different things. I've learned to take comment and critique with a grain of salt. What my eyes saw and how my camera translated those thoughts will not be what most people see when I present a photo for commentary. All photos are open for interpretation and many times we must agree to disagree. I am reminded of this as there is a particular photographer who intensely grains his photos. His photos are not my bottle of beer, but I can't help but giggle when disagrees with the style of another photographer. Hell, it down right baffles me, but to each his own.

I see pictures everywhere. It's quite distracting.... hard to focus. Some days I feel like I have Attention Deficit Disorder. I can't be seen without my camera. I can't leave the house without my camera. I must always have it with me. I sit it in the carseat when my daughter isn't with me.

So right now I'm reading 'Nikon D700 Digital Field Guide' by J. Dennis Thomas. Glad I picked it up. It makes sense of the manual. Lord knows you get "just the facts ma'am" from manual and calling customer support is worthless. Overall, the camera makes me happy.

I Drank the Kool-Aid......

2009-09-16T21:22:00.003-04:00

and I liked it! You guessed it. I purchased the D700. Boy, talk about an agonizing ordeal! I went looking for people to talk me out of it and no one would do it! Can you believe this?

So I go down to my favorite camera shop and talk to Sue. Sue is known for her camera smarts, intelligence and non-salesman-like attitude. I KNEW that she would save me. I told her that I was planning to purchase the D700 FULLY EXPECTING her to say, "No, Dee.... you haven't maxed out the D90 yet." Nope. She said, "I think you should do it. If I were you, I'd do it." I darn near pissed myself as Sue was my last hope. I only needed ONE person to justify my hesitation. Not a soul. NOT EVEN MY HUSBAND. Can you believe that one? As a matter of fact, he egged me on. Insisted, even.

Someone's going to read this and think, "The D90 is a phenomenal camera, why did you change? Couldn't you have simply purchased better glass?" Three reasons: 1.) Have you seen what that camera can do in the dark? The ISO is off the hook! 2.) It has the D3's sensor. Can I also mention that my children's sports teams gave me a job taking pictures?

It was better to get out now while I could still get 'some' money for the D90. Why the agony? Well, to be completely honest......I'm cheap. I can't shop without coupons so purchasing a D700 required me to take a Valium prior to ordering it. Saying that my husband darn near forced me to make the call to Adorama is closer to the truth than you know. I so hate spending money that the very idea of the camera's price started to make me ill. Just in case you're wondering, yes, I can afford it. No it won't affect my husband's ability to pay the mortgage. Again, I'm just cheap.

Ok, here's the $60 million dollar question: Can I tell the difference? You'd better freaking believe it! I can zoom into a picture for what seems like forever with startling details! Shucks, I didn't know until yesterday that my two year-old daughter had nose hair!

Overall, I'm satisfied. Damn Canadians!

Resistance Was Futile......

2009-09-13T19:37:00.003-04:00

Well, I did it. I have succumbed and purchased the revolutionary D700, and I feel just horrible. I know, I know.... you want to know why. Why did I make the switch when I've had the D90 for less than a year, and why do I feel just horrible?

Well, I feel horrible about my new purchase because somewhere along this photographic journey I gained a respect for professional photographers that they are probably not used to receiving until their dead.

While a nicer camera does not mean nicer pictures, it does mean increased responsibility and more time spent learning.

Ok, time to take the camera and harass the family dog.