Topics

1

Portrait / Gig Photography

« on: April 19, 2013, 11:18:50 AM »

I've been on here for a while but I've not seen much about gig photography. I love to shoot gigs but as I'm not a pro on the circuit I find it very difficult to get photo-pit passes. I play in a small punk band so I always shoot the other bands we play with but it's mainly limited to small venues with no stage. anyways, I'm always interested in how people shoot, their techniques and how they handle their cameras in different (often difficult) situations...

sometimes I take photos between the songs...

Here's one from the other night to start the ball rolling:

Band: The Front Bottoms
Venue: Hare & Hounds, Birmingham (small room)
Camera: Canon 5Diii
Lens: 28mm 1.8 / 50mm 1.4
1600 iso
f2
1/125

2

Software & Accessories / Bellows for tilt shift

« on: March 05, 2013, 08:36:41 AM »

Back in the good old days of film and 5x4 photography, on Cambo and Sinar cameras you used to be able to tilt the planes of both the back and lens either side of the bellows extension thus correcting verticals.

I've had a look on amazon but I'm unable as yet to come across a bellows extender that tilts, it's all for macro photography. Does anyone use this method for tilt-shift or has anyone been able to locate such an item?

3

Technical Support / Dubai Pro Photographic Equipment Suppliers

« on: February 21, 2013, 06:43:30 AM »

I'm tasked with starting a photographic department in Dubai for a sister branch of my firm. Having never been there or knowing what's available, what is the Dubai version of Calumet? Is there a store in the city where I can get hold of Canon/Bowens/Colourama? I need a 1Dx, 3 Bowens Heads/soft boxes & boom stand/arm, etc... so it's pretty high end stuff.

Reliability & customer service is a must

Cheers x

4

EOS Bodies - For Stills / First big job using FF - for all the FF nay-sayers

« on: February 04, 2013, 07:46:22 AM »

So this is kind of in response to the nay-sayers of that canon interview where the dude is basically saying the future of canon is FF and everyones going off their tits about the future of 7Dii (or 70D if you're that way inclined)

I shot my first wedding with the paring of a 5Diii and a 5Dii (stepping up from last seasons 7D & 60D paring) and I coud not have had a more pleasurable time doing it. It was crazy just how nice it all worked out. I was originally a little bit anxious about it as the only other job for someone else I'd done with the 5Diii was a studio model shoot so I was out in the field without anything to fall back on.

I don't know if I'm slightly trolling here but just from what I've found this weekend, FF is the way forward... if you do own a 7D and you don't need the FPS then sell it and get a second hand 5Dii. The IQ and ability to frame is an amazing step up. I think I shot 90% of it with the 50mm 1.4 and just used the 24-105 for the group shots.

The colours, the image quality, the depth, the sharpness... I could go on

I wont put the pics on here as I've still to show the bride, but I have processed a couple of shots for testers and have them on my blog wentdownfighting.tumblr.com

I'm not the greatest photog in the world nor was this the most glamourous of weddings but I'm very pleased with the initial results 

I may even flippantly throw in my doubt that photog > equipment even applies any more...

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / 7D vs 5D mk2 trade off?

« on: January 20, 2013, 08:48:30 AM »

So I've been offered a 5Dii used for £850 which is reasonable.

last month I sold my 60D and got a 5Diii.

Prior to that I'd been shooting weddings with a 7D & 60D and as they're essentially the same camera (crop & very similar iso performance (I am also aware that they are very different cameras)) and it was very comfortable. I'd have my 17-85mm on one and 28mm 1.8 on the other and that pretty much did me. I'd just stick the 10-24 on if I needed anything wider.

2 cameras, 2 lenses. job done.

so now I have this pair: 5Diii and 7D

I still want to shoot in very much the same style but with the increase in sensor size I'm at a loss and it messes with my head with all the focal length changes. I have a 50mm 1.4 which I love on the 5Diii and this would be my replacement for the 60D with the 28mm on.

so 60D with a 28mm is almost the same as 5Diii with a 50mm

but as the ISO performance is far superior on the 5Diii I'd want to use it with the 24-105mm especially on indoor shots where I can get away with using no flash. It's mean either still working with the 7D and a 28mm or having 1 camera (the 5Diii) and continually swapping lenses (pain in the arse)

First world problems... having to swap lenses mid job.

Is there much of a difference in quality between the 7D and the 5D mk2?

I've never shot with a 5D mk2 so I have no idea on how noisy it is at high ISO or what can be acceptable. I'd use it with the 50mm shooting around f2.2 so it wouldn't have to be that high and then use the mk3 for the 24-105mm at higher ISO. I work completely manually (apart from centre autofocus and recompose) as this is a bit of a hangover from the olden film days and I don't trust a camera to guess anything about my exposure.

is it worth selling my 7D for £850 with a grip, 17-85mm & 10-24mm tamron then buying a 5D mk2??? what would be the trade offs with regards to IQ??

6

EOS Bodies - For Stills / "shadow" at the bottom of frame/shot...

« on: December 16, 2012, 08:44:55 PM »

so I was shooting the other day with studio lights at 125th around f8 I think which is pretty standard for studio lights/model set up only the model was moving around a bit so I upped shutter speed to 200th/sec. I didn't notice on the back of the camera (5Diii) at the time but there seems to be a shadow cast from what I can only assume is the shutter or mirror.

I've been shooting for quite a number of years and I've never noticeably come across this. Going out and shooting In daylight at 800th/sec seems no problem with a 50mm 1.4 wide open. Is this just a phenomenon when shooting with flash over 160th/sec at high f-stops and I should just learn not to do it or is there something more sinister at work?

examples attached: 1st at 125th @ f9 2nd at 200th @ f8

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / 6D vs 5Diii today...

« on: December 05, 2012, 06:09:40 AM »

So I'm going to town tonight to buy a new camera...

It's either going to be the 6D or 5Diii (body only)

which do I purchase? reading reviews from the last few days of people getting their hands on the 6D has got me stumped. It should be pretty clean cut and I should just go for the 5Diii but there are a few things holding me back.

I'm currently shooting with a 7D and 60D (until yesterday when I sold the 60D) 90% of my glass is EF so that's not an issue, what is an issue is the following:

pro 5Diii :

sharper images at higher iso (from what we've been presented with so far although the 6D handles noise a little better apparently)
better weather sealing/build
better button configuration on the back.
reputedly better focussing system (although I very rarely use any point apart from centre, I'm old school)
CF card for faster raw processing time

pro 6D :

Wifi (it may not seem much but linking straight to an ipad on location and using a mobile for remote shooting could come in real handy)
Cheaper
handles noise better at high iso (reportedly, but images are a little softer than 5Diii)

I shoot a hell of a lot of stuff, gigs, weddings, events and product. I'm always going to keep the 7D for sports/wildlife so fps isn't an issue for me, mainly the better high iso handling which is one of the only reasons for upgrading to full frame. I'm a firm believer in photographer > gear but I like a bit of technology and anything that makes life a little easier (and that points to the 6D).

Plus if I get a 6D I'll just get the piss ripped out of me by "pro's" tottering around with their 5Diii's 

any advice in the next 6 hours would be greatly appreciated

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / What to charge for wedding photography?

« on: September 13, 2012, 08:39:39 AM »

Hello, about 2 years ago I was asked to photograph a friends wedding. For a number of years I've been a product photographer in a studio so I assume that's why she asked. I said yes as it was a few months away. I then thought I'd best go and buy my own camera and flash (canon 500D + jessops flash with 18-55 & 70-300 tamron kit). I got some books and practiced pretty hard...

my current website is www.lewismaxwell.co.uk although I'm in the process of setting up a proper wedding photography site and only have my first 3 weddings on there...

10 weddings later and I'm thinking of starting to charge for them.

I basically limit myself to a 7D with a 17-85mm and a 60D with a 28mm

I carry all my other lenses just in case but they rarely come out of the bag. I'm waiting until next month to see if this 6D comes out, if not then I'll get a 5D mk ii. I'm not rich by any means and treat my photography out of the company I work for (as a commercial product photographer) as a hobby, hence the free weddings.

How much should I be charging as pretty much a beginner/non pro? I do make people aware that that it's not my proper job.

I've had a few enquiries for weddings next summer and quoted £400, but I think that may put some people off.

9

EOS Bodies - For Stills / right time to turn pro...?

« on: June 13, 2012, 10:28:38 AM »

I've watched these forums for a while now although I don't ever post...

I was just wondering how everyone felt about turning pro, how it went and how it's turning out? I'm very much aware of the cons with regard to quitting a stable day job and having a guaranteed income every month with which to pay the bills but I'm also sick to death of it and the mundanity of it all.

Here's my background

18 - never touched a camera above a point and shoot 35mm but get a job as a studio assistant. worked with 5x4 cambo's and sinars & medium format hasselblads and mamiyas shooting mainly commercial product

23 - went to uni, got a degree in graphics. photography as a minor hobby. very minor.

26 - graduate, got a job as a designer but started a photography department, built it up and shoot all our product for advertising, net and brochure. mainly watches and jewellery. with the company dime i bought bowens flash heads, a canon 1Ds 3 and all the kit I wanted. cost about £8000 to set up

a couple of years ago a friend asked me if i could shoot her wedding. I'd never done it before or in fact owned a decent camera of my own so I said yes. obviously. so I went and bought a 500D and a jessops flash which was all i could afford at the time for about £800. It was a little different than shooting with the 1Ds but I got over it.

I've been doing quite a few weddings since, bought a 60D, a 7D, loads of lenses (no L's) and invested in a set up so i can shoot studio standard product shots in my kitchen (i've never charged for any work I've done for people up until I shot a rather large job for a big company last week)

my wedding shot's are ok, obviously would be better if I owned a 5Dii
my product shots are above average, obviously would better if i owned a 1Ds iii (or upcoming X)
I have a little experience with models but not much past shooting of friends that are "alt. models"

here's a bit of my portfolio : www.lewismaxwell.carbonmade.com

I'd like to actually have a conversation with someone with the experience of jacking it all in to live the proverbial dream as I sit here with my notice written out but not the guts to give it in and go it alone

help?

x