Photography!

[Apex]

This was done in a studio. It was fun working with pro gear!!

*again, let me know if these don't show*

[Mountain Dew]

Can see em. Lighting's much better on the model in these.

Got a Miranda Sensorex (from the 60s) 35mm film camera at a garage sale. Very cool little thing (not so little though, weighs almost 3 lbs with the 135mm lens). Unfortunately the reflex mirror gets stuck on a few shutter speeds, and the condenser lens is cracked (and one of the hold down screws is missing; looks like someone had the lens misaligned when tightening it down, apparently a common mistake). I have another one on order from ebay though. That one should be in working order. Maybe keep the junk one on a shelf to look pretty.

Oh and my kitty wouldn't move.

[wanarace94]

Here's something I did for my university's mini baja team. Shot and modified by yours truly

[Apex]

Originally Posted by Mountain Dew

Can see em. Lighting's much better on the model in these.

Got a Miranda Sensorex (from the 60s) 35mm film camera at a garage sale. Very cool little thing (not so little though, weighs almost 3 lbs with the 135mm lens). Unfortunately the reflex mirror gets stuck on a few shutter speeds, and the condenser lens is cracked (and one of the hold down screws is missing; looks like someone had the lens misaligned when tightening it down, apparently a common mistake). I have another one on order from ebay though. That one should be in working order. Maybe keep the junk one on a shelf to look pretty.

Oh and my kitty wouldn't move.

Hahahahah, I love the kitty!

Yeah, we had a better situation, and had much more input on lighting choices. Both of these were my suggestion (overhead lighting). The light was tune for 1/125, ISO 100, and f/5.6. I cranked up my aperture one stop. We had a medium softbox on a boom over the model (B&W is high and right, color is directly over her). I really enjoyed these shots.

[Mountain Dew]

Took this a couple weeks ago to show off the current state of my bike. I'd like to retake it but as an actual photograph, rather than a snapshot. I like the angle and background, but the bokeh and lighting are meh. Took it with my D40 and 35 f/1.8, but I'd like to use my woman's T2i and 50 f/1.8.

[Apex]

Yeah, having an aperture of like 2.8 for that shot would really help (at maybe 70mm).

I'd really love to see a sunset off in the distance, with the palms being blacked out, then use a flash/continuous light to illuminate the bike to really make it pop.

Of course, easier said than done.

Still, nice shot! Love the color of the frame.

[Apex]

I was messing around today. I took some pictures of our cats, because they are always around to shoot. So I mixed it up today.

[Mountain Dew]

That was actually shot at f/2.8.

I just got a few rolls of film, and will be running them through my 3 cameras (Miranda Sensorex, Ricoh KR-5 Super II, and Canon Rebel 2000) just to see if they work. The Rebel doesn't seem to want to focus right, so I might just forget about that one. The Ricoh is pretty cool. Has a 35-70 f/2.8 lens and 135 f/4.5 lens. I'm really anxious to try the Miranda though. 135mm f/2.8 seems really cool.

[Apex]

Film you say? What is this black magic? hahahahhaa


It is rare to see some people still using film.

[Apex]

Took this on my new Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. This thing has a monster ø82 lens. I say monster because my next closest lens is ø56. hahaha

I only adjusted the levels on this picture. Zero adjustments other than that.

[Mountain Dew]

I like that a lot, but I'd like to see a bit more catch light in the eyes. That light is a bit too harsh though, looks like just below the ear is blown out. Maybe a diffuser, or bounce it off the ceiling to highlight the wrinkles on the head?

And yeah, my woman is always talking about how much she liked actually developing film when she took a class many moons ago. She used to do B&W film back then and had some decent shots in her portfolio (I guess you could call it that :P), but since she moved from her last house, doesn't have space for a dark room.

I'm just trying it out, mainly because I picked up a couple old (one from the late 60s and the other from my birth yeah, 89) ones and they seem really cool. And I think I'm secretly a hipster. Anyway, if I do like it, I might convert my closet into a darkroom. Because unfortunately we don't have a public/community darkroom.

Oh and I just got the Miranda Sensorex (the one from the 60s) up and running. I ended up just buying a working one off ebay. The original one, the reflex mirror would get stuck at several shutter speeds, I accidentally broke the condenser mirror, a very easy mistake to make, and the aperture blades were stuck on the 28mm lens (the new one came with another 28mm, but the filter threads are slightly dented).

I've taken a few shots with it so far, and damn is it heavy. Nearly 3 lbs with the 135mm f/2.8 lens. And that lens has a realllllly long focus range, it goes from 1.5-30m, but it takes 3/4 of a full rotation. Great for fine tuning the focus, if the focus was actually easy to use, compared to newer stuff. And I can't use build-in metering yet. It requires a 1.35v mercury (yep, mercury) battery, but nobody sells those here, so I have to order specialty batteries off ebay.

Once I develop this roll, I'll maybe post a few pictures. :P

[Apex]

Cool!

Yeah, I know about weight. I just shot a friends wedding yesterday. A Nikon D7000, a Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 lens, and a Nikon SB-910 flash.

TALK ABOUT HEAVY!

My hands a sore from yesterday. Now I'm editing some of the over 1,200 photos taken yesterday.

[Mountain Dew]

D7000: 780 g (1.72 lbs)
Lens: 825 g (1.81 lbs)
Flash: 415 g (.91 lbs)

Total: 2014 g (4.44 lbs)

Dang, not bad. Using a strap?

I like my setup. D40, 35mm f/1.8, and Quantaray QB-350A; 960g total :3

[Apex]

Oh yeah, used a strap. I have a sling that I refuse to go anywhere without (especially since the Tamron lens is my favorite). I use a Black Rapid RS-Sport 2 Slim strap. The stock strap was killing my neck. Plus I had to hold the camera against my chest any time I bent over to get into my camera bag. It was annoying. The sling was a great purchase.

I have a more lightweight setup, but it isn't as ideal:
D7000, SB-400 speedlight, and Nikon 35mm f/1.8. It is great for family events though!

[Apex]

Here are 2 shots from my friend's wedding:

[Mountain Dew]

Diggin' the last one, but would love to see more of the dress in the frame.

Also, whoever's reflecting in (or outside of) the glass door is really creeping me out.

[Apex]

Originally Posted by Mountain Dew

Diggin' the last one, but would love to see more of the dress in the frame.

Also, whoever's reflecting in (or outside of) the glass door is really creeping me out.

Yeah, it was a last second shot. I was rushing to get over there and didn't have time to think about the actual shot.

The reflection is of my wife from the flash. I didn't even notice it until this morning. I may PS her out of there.

[Apex]

Sweetness! My wife hooked me up with $500 for my birthday that is coming up!

She wanted me to get something photography related. She knew I know tons more about it than she does, so I will take time to research prices, etc.

Since I wanted a simple monolight to experiment with, yet versatile enough to be taken outside, I snagged The following:

Interfit Stellar Xtreme 300 Watt/Second AC/DC Monolight
Replacement flashtube
Replacement modeling light
Impact 24x32 Softbox
Speedring for softbox

It is cheap...but not super cheap, it is rated for 300w/s...which isn't bad, and it comes with a battery pack, so it is portable.

I can use my SB-910 speedlight for a fill. I could also use the speedlight to illuminate the background, or another portion of the photo, and my reflector kit as a fill.

It will at least get me into the whole studio thing. I should get it in here in about a week.

I can't wait!

[Mountain Dew]

Now you're in a realm beyond my understanding :P Can't wait to see it set up.

Got my "mercury replacement" batteries for my Miranda SLR. $15 for 5, not too bad, seeing as how they're a specialty. Zinc/air (whatever that means), 1.35v, same output as the mercury (but they don't last as long; the mercury ones last about two years), and a stable voltage output.

It really got me all giddy when I put the battery in, pointed the viewfinder around, and saw the metering needle moving around! I'm so excited to go test it out. It just feels so good to have something 45 years old and working perfectly.

[antiant]

Best Italian food I have ever had in my life!

[Apex]

Originally Posted by Mountain Dew

Now you're in a realm beyond my understanding :P Can't wait to see it set up.

Got my "mercury replacement" batteries for my Miranda SLR. $15 for 5, not too bad, seeing as how they're a specialty. Zinc/air (whatever that means), 1.35v, same output as the mercury (but they don't last as long; the mercury ones last about two years), and a stable voltage output.

It really got me all giddy when I put the battery in, pointed the viewfinder around, and saw the metering needle moving around! I'm so excited to go test it out. It just feels so good to have something 45 years old and working perfectly.

Is it possible to utilize a newer style battery? You may be able to use an external holder to get more battery life. $15/5 isn't cheap if they die off pretty fast. Then again, if you don't really plan on using it all that often, then no biggy.

[Mountain Dew]

That is a newer style battery. Sorry if my post confused. The old style battery is mercury, and they're no longer produced or sold here. It's possible to get them imported from overseas though. I bought the newer style battery. Not sure how long they last or what the 2 years quoted for the original batteries actually meant though.

It's just as bad as the CR2 batteries I bought for my Canon Rebel 2000 and Rebel KT. It's $16 at the local store for a set. Not sure how long they last, but again I won't be using them that often :P

I haven't taken any new good shots recently. Been working a lot and screwing around with my film cameras. Once I finish off this roll I'm gonna get them developed and printed. If I like what I see, I may get an enlarger and just have film developed. That way my girl and I can just shoot film and print them ourselves.

[Apex]

I give props to anyone who still dabbles in film. It requires a ton of thinking before snapping a shot.

Do you ever look at classic photography stores? I did see a few in one of my photo magazines. Didn't know if you knew of any.

[Mountain Dew]

We only have three main camera shops here. They're pretty much all geared towards digital and pros.

Film isn't really that popular here. We don't even have a public darkroom. The only place I know of is at a community college and you have to be enrolled in the photography class.

[Apex]

Our store, www.hcehouston.com, has some classics in there, but they are few and far between. Digital is the money maker, so that is the bulk of their goodies.

My order from B&H was set for delivery on Monday. Well, they surprised me with the delivery being today. SUHWHEAT!!!!

(click thumbnails for larger images)

Oh my, what do we have here?


Opening goodies!!
Yellow box is a speedring. The black bag is an Impact 24x32 softbox. The two small white boxes are replacement bulbs (model light and flashtube).


And the big box has my new toy!!!
Interfit Stellar-xtreme 300w/s Monolight!


My DC power pack for when I don't have an outlet handy:


Took a few pictures of my cat (easy subject) 1/125, f/5.6, ISO 100
Here is one of them, a quick edit:


And my setup in action (used my umbrella instead of the softbox for easy setup)

[Mountain Dew]

Bitchin stuff. One day I'll have some cool lighting stuff. Although I'm not really into portraits.

Just shot two rolls of film with my Miranda Sensorex. Hopefully this 45-year old camera can deliver

Also wish there was more participation in this thread. Would like to see more than just two people going back and forth.

[Apex]

I'm sure there are other people out there who are into photography. We have better gear than most people who do it as a little hobby. Most use their iPhone or a simple POS camera.

I think most people don't think that those cameras actually work and work pretty well. I took this of our wind chime the other day using an iPhone 5 camera:




I'm just curious who all here is more into photography than just snapping a pic. I mean the people who actually try to take a good pic or to compose an image.

[Apex]

My fat little buddy

[Mountain Dew]

Diggin the flash setup. Like the cat picture.

Here's a few scans (and minimal editing) of some film shots I took with the Miranda Sensorex. Shot on some junk drug store Fuji 200 ISO with a 135mm f/2.8 lens. I particularly like the bokeh on this lens.

I have a roll of expired Ilford HP5+ B&W I have to develop, and I'm currently shooting with a roll of expired Kodak T-MAX P3200 (discontinued). Shot a bunch of low-light shots with a 28mm 2.8 lens, but I'll be pulling out the 135 for the rest of the roll.

I haven't shot much digital since I started messing with film. I just can't wait to get my own darkroom setup. Might build a shed on the side of the house for it. Learn some engineering and carpentry while I'm at it. :P

Shot for a photo contest I have no intention in doing well in.


My friend's husky. Very adorable, but unfortunately I missed when she was shoving her nose through the bars trying to get some attention.


And a well-timed candid of a man enjoying his dogs.

[Apex]

Nice shots!

[Mountain Dew]

Thanks. Think I'll have them printed on gloss, I think they'll scan better.

Also, these are my picture takers.

[Apex]

I shot my first engagement photo shoot this past weekend. I did generic color edits and made a gallery for them. Out of the 17 finalists, they picked 7 for me to work on beyond color correction. They wanted to know the cost, but I decided to do it for free as long as they:
1. Allowed me to use the photos for whatever I wanted
2. Don't pick a ton of photos for me to edit

They agreed and thanked me for not having to pay. I guess that rubbed off on them in a positive way, they asked me to shoot their wedding. SWEET!!!!

The last wedding I did was free for the couple. I got practice on event shooting, and I was able to get good feedback on the shots. I also was granted free use of the images. The engagement couple I did liked those shots, and that was part of the reason they asked me to do their wedding.

I will also be doing a wedding in August for an old high school friend. I am looking forward to both events. I am also looking forward to finally making some $$$$ doing photography.

I have plans to work with my wife and her contacts to have a "head shot day" for the corporate people to come get head shots. I have the studio lighting. I will practice with some of my friends to figure out a good lighting setup, then go from there. Depending on how many people are interested and RSVP, then I will charge accordingly.

Good to know that not only my photography knowledge is being put to good use, but also my business degree.

Here is one goof-off shot from the engagement session. We were having fun.

[Rifleman]

Does photoshopped count?



very small girl, next to a very big bike.

[Apex]

hahaha Awesome.


I just did some work using frequency separation. It makes my life so much easier!!!! Removing blemishes is crazy simple now!

I finished off the engagement photo edits. I may post them up once I get permission. I told them I wouldn't post up any of their photos until they post them. It is their engagement, they get to post them online first.

[Apex]

They just posted them.

Needless to say, we had fun during the shoot!

The third shot was actually in direct sunlight. My wife helped by holding a diffuser to soften the sunlight down.

I started shooting in manual. So the first shots I got were at around f/5.6. Then due to the light changes all the time, I just switch to shutter priority. Made it easier, but the camera kept going to f/2.8, which really didn't help my DOF. I didn't want such a narrow DOF, but it worked okay. Maybe next time I'll put it in aperture priority, since there was such good light around me where I wouldn't have to worry about slow shutter speeds.

[Mountain Dew]

Cool stuff. I wouldn't mind shooting a wedding once :P

What mode do you normally shoot in? Aperture priority or full manual?

That direct sunlight shot looks great.

[Apex]

Thanks!

I felt it was a rather awkward pose, but it worked out (they chose it for one of their shots). Oh, and you can see the area of his arm that wasn't covered by the diffuser, and the upper right of his shirt. Joy of using a 2'x2' panel. Could have used a larger one! Oh well.

I typically shoot in shutter priority. Mainly because I want to set the shutter speed to freeze the action or not to freeze it. At least that way I get the effect I want. However, if I'm in a single location for extended periods, I typically go to manual. That way I can dial in the ISO, shutter, and aperture just how I want it. When I am doing a studio shoot, full manual all the way, even for the flash power.

In low light, or instances where DOF is important, I use Aperture priority.

[Apex]

On a side note, I wish some artists would post up their contact info on their website. I know why they don't, but it makes it hard to get in contact with them to possibly get a pass to shoot at a show.

Never hurts to ask!

[Apex]

I did find a point of contact for an artist I'm a fan of. I got a response from the assistant. I might be able to snag a press pass for an event or two. I'm waiting to see what they have to say.

Hopefully I can get a response tonight or in the next couple of days. I will need to purchase a GA (general admission) ticket to get in the venue, but I'd have a pass to get into a prime spot for shooting.

I threw several questions their way, since I can shoot more than just the event. I can do sound check, backstage and meet & greet (thank you monolight).

I'd love an all access pass, but those are very hard to come by, and I doubt I'd get one since I don't have much of a portfolio in the music biz. Still, I'm hopeful for the press pass.

You never know though, since I'd be signing a release that allowed the artist permission to use all images.

[Apex]

Okay, I will spill the beans on this.

I have been talking with Lindsey Stirling's assistant. It looks like I'm all set to photograph her Houston performance. I get to attend a concert and get kick butt pictures for her and for my portfolio.



I'm excited!


I volunteered my services for another show, but have yet to hear back on that. I am also not sure about if I am just shooting the show or the sound check and/or M&G. I hope to clarify that here in the next couple of days.