Helen Highwater posted:

I found a few models on Facebook. There was a Fb group for TFP shoots in the area where I lived. I have also had some success with approaching people randomly. I give them a card with my IG and portfolio site on it and say that if they like the sort of stuff I do, I'd love to do a shoot with them. You need to be careful that your pitch is basically, 'I like to shoot portraits with random people who I think look cool and maybe you'd like to work with me' rather than 'How do you feel about this opportunity to potentially be sexually assaulted?' Especially, if like me you are a dude approaching women.

Instagram is another source of potential models. Look for people who are uploading a lot of fitness/beauty selfies in your area and ask if they'd like to take part in a more organised shoot.

Thom12255 posted:

IMG_0104 by Nathan Nixon, on Flickr

red19fire posted:

The only thing that bothers me is the lampshade and the statue thing at the bottom. From assisting a architecture photographer, his mis-en-scene rule for things on the edge of the frame is that either a thing has to be 80% into a photo or 100% out, otherwise it looks like a hasty mistake.

Also there's a hummingbird feeder sticking out of her head.

Thom12255 posted:

Noticed both and completely agree, I'll end up cloning them out eventually.

VelociBacon posted:

Another thing to me is it looks like a photoshop background or green screen shot, because there is no middle ground. You have the model who looks so evenly lit that there is no indication she's even inside, then the background which has no interaction with the model.

Thom12255 posted:

I actually wasn't intending it to be a proper portrait, just testing out my speedlite and thought this one came out cool enough to edit.

afroserty posted:

https://flic.kr/p/281YTru I have a different crop but I think I prefer the closer one. Disapointed that I missed the focus on the eyes. I haven't done many portraits so I was just messing around with some friends while we were having a drink, I'm happy with how it came out. Love the blunt criticism of this thread.

tk posted:

Helen Highwater posted:

Should have moved the plant out of the frame first.

theHUNGERian posted:

Hey guys,

Against my wishes, my was hired as a wedding reception photographer. My background was exclusively in still life when a couple hired me as their wedding photographer. The clients were happy enough with the outcome to ask me to cover the reception too. Reviewing the wedding pictures, I noticed a couple of mistakes that I know I can fix in the (more important) reception shoot.

One thing I am struggling with is gear. I have a lovely MF 21mm Loxia that is fantastic for landscape, but utterly useless in a dynamic reception setting where AF is critical. I bought a 55mm f/1.8 for the wedding as I was going to buy that lens later this year either way. But during the wedding I noticed that I had to step pretty far back to cover many scenes which involved only 2 people. The reception will have even less room, so I am thinking of renting a 35mm f/1.4 ZA. I would much rather err on the wide side and crop out if I end up being wrong. The alternative would be a zoom, but I worry about the smaller aperture and lousier image quality. Since this will be an outdoor event in the late evening, having the option of more aperture sounds better than having more room with focal length. Any thoughts?

The other point (and I am a hypocrite here) is that I would like to spend more time shooting with the lens @ ~f/5 or so, so more things are in focus. The obvious downside is that lighting will perhaps not be enough to allow such a small aperture. I've never set up anything with flash, so I am a little bit intimidated by it. I was thinking of bumping up the ISO as I am pretty happy with the noise at ISO 3200 with in-camera noise reduction set to low. Will I regret this compromise?

Finally, where's a good place to practice before the big day? I would need a place where I can shoot people from 10 ft away in the evening without looking like a weirdo/stalker. I cannot think of a single place where this would not come across as a full-on invasion of privacy.

Edit: Camera is an A7R3.

Dudeabides posted:

Will you also have a zoom lens with you? You'll find situations where the prime is a good move, but having the flexibility of the zoom (paired with a good flash) will help as well.

um excuse me posted:

Busy aquarium. I can't think of a worse lighting scenario with lots of people who won't already be taking photos so no one will notice.

Also I had to learn flash photography not too long ago. Technology makes it pretty much automatic with the right equipment. Set up two strobes in the opposite corners of a room, up as high as you can get them. Test exposures and forget them. Unless the subjects are in the exact center of the room, there will always be a stronger key light, just make sure ISO is cranked up because you don't want to burn out your images and supplement the flashes with room lighting especially if the DJ has an expensive kit.

theHUNGERian posted:

This will be an outdoor event. What's an appropriate flash setup that will not take up space, is easy to set up and learn, and won't piss of the general audience? The DJ can gently caress right off.

VelociBacon posted:

I guess a shoot-through umbrella on a stand with a speedlight, and two radio triggers (pocket wizards) or a long flash pc sync cord thing if you don't want to buy radio triggers.



Something like that with a speedlight in it. You'd have to set the flash manually, position it as a fill light generally, and you wouldn't be able to do groups of more than 10 or so with even lighting. The next step up past this is a ton more money and complexity.

e: if you think you need the coverage or you want to do specific things like use another flash as a bounce flash or to light up hair etc you could get a second stand/umbrella/speedlight and a third radio trigger but that's not really going to be a good idea for your first time IMO.

theHUNGERian posted:

Thanks.

So the flash will be off-camera and have its own battery, right? How long does a battery last? Can you recommend any good web pages that describe the position of subject, camera, and flash for a variety of basic shots so that I don't create harsh shadows?

Edit: Assuming that I needed a more mobile setup (the venue will be small, and I can't run around with an umbrella all night) is there anything I can attach to the camera and get half-way decent images of groups of up to 3 people? I can certainly try to have one 'fancy photo corner' where I can shoot more glamorous shots. But I would also like to do less staged images if at all possible.

8th-snype posted:

When is the wedding?

theHUNGERian posted:

Thanks.

So the flash will be off-camera and have its own battery, right? How long does a battery last? Can you recommend any good web pages that describe the position of subject, camera, and flash for a variety of basic shots so that I don't create harsh shadows?

Edit: Assuming that I needed a more mobile setup (the venue will be small, and I can't run around with an umbrella all night) is there anything I can attach to the camera and get half-way decent images of groups of up to 3 people? I can certainly try to have one 'fancy photo corner' where I can shoot more glamorous shots. But I would also like to do less staged images if at all possible.

VelociBacon posted:

You'd set up the umbrella at the group photo area and when you want you could take the speedlight off and put it on the camera and walk around in TTL mode getting candid shots.

E: as a resource there's a website called strobist that has a decent intro kinda tutorial but the rest of the stuff on the site isn't entirely loved by goons.

um excuse me posted:

I bought a $250 flash and umbrella setup in 2011. I still have it today. It's extremely portable too. Mind you this does not see anywhere near commercial use, but as long as you treat all this Chinese garbage like it's always going to break, you'll actually be more careful with it and won't be surprised when it actually does break.

The application heavily dictates what I'd recommend.

dakana posted:

You can buy:
Godox V860IIS flash - $179
X1T-S trigger - $46
S-type flash bracket - $17.90
a light stand - $32.95
umbrella - $30.40
for under $350.

8th-snype posted:

If you don't know flash then keep it simple. One flash either on a stand in a brolly or on camera and bounced.

VelociBacon posted:

Also always err on the side of underexposing with the flash strength, it's very easy to make people's faces blown out a bit or look greasy with highlights and not always easy to see on the back of your body.

Helen Highwater posted:

If you're going with Yongnuo 560 IIIs, then there's a Yongnuo flash controller for about $25 that is specifically designed to support them. I have one and it works pretty well - it even keeps settings from session to session so you don't need to do all the pairing and group organisation each time. It's most definitely not the sturdiest item I own, but if you are careful not to throw it around it'll do you fine at a fraction of the Pocket Wizard price.

theHUNGERian posted:

The local camera store only has the Godox V860IIS and the Promaster 100SL. But you make a very good point about storing settings between sessions, so I'll try to get the flash that has a controller with that feature.