The Official Photography Thread - Vol. 3

[Fong$tarr]

^^^The ceiling is like 2 stories high. I want to think that is too high but not sure. I would think I need a diffuser but I guess it also depends how close I shoot the person.

Also does anyone have a preference in diffusers? I see ones that are plastic and some that are like softboxes.

 

[mjbetch]

Alright guys. Need some help on just knowing how to use a flash properly. I might have access to a concert and as much as I like non flash photos, I might as well use what I have and do both flash and no flash. My general question for you guys if you know.....do I need more than just my flashes for shooting a concert photo? Do I need a defuser or could I just use my flash as is? I haven't really used my flashes a lot but I did notice from my little uses that the coloring of the flash can come out blue sometimes. I don't get how sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't but I think it had to do with the intensity of it. I did have it pretty powerful outside once when I was shooting at night and all of the people's skin color was blue for whatever reason.

Any tips on concert flash photos would be appreciated.

I would say just use the diffuser. I don't have much experience, but it makes sense to me. Did the flash you have not come with a diffuser? Do you have any example pictures of the blue skin?

As for the pictures you posted in the second post, I'd go with the top one. To use the soft box, it depends on how far your subject is going to be from you. I love shooting with soft boxes, but that's generally more in a controlled environment for portraits and product shots (from what I've experienced and seen). Just remember, the further you are from your subject, the harsher the light is going to be. Can't wait to see your photos!!

 

[khankussionz]

Alright guys. Need some help on just knowing how to use a flash properly. I might have access to a concert and as much as I like non flash photos, I might as well use what I have and do both flash and no flash. My general question for you guys if you know.....do I need more than just my flashes for shooting a concert photo? Do I need a defuser or could I just use my flash as is? I haven't really used my flashes a lot but I did notice from my little uses that the coloring of the flash can come out blue sometimes. I don't get how sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't but I think it had to do with the intensity of it. I did have it pretty powerful outside once when I was shooting at night and all of the people's skin color was blue for whatever reason.

Any tips on concert flash photos would be appreciated.

It's white balancing. Your flash is balanced for daytime and at night you have ambient lighting such as incandescent lights as street lamps. The camera will balance for those lights, then your flash goes off and shows blue. Put a CTO gel on it and it should balance the flash with the ambient light, then the camera will process both of them the same and should come out even.

 

[Fong$tarr]

I would say just use the diffuser. I don't have much experience, but it makes sense to me. Did the flash you have not come with a diffuser? Do you have any example pictures of the blue skin?

As for the pictures you posted in the second post, I'd go with the top one. To use the soft box, it depends on how far your subject is going to be from you. I love shooting with soft boxes, but that's generally more in a controlled environment for portraits and product shots (from what I've experienced and seen). Just remember, the further you are from your subject, the harsher the light is going to be. Can't wait to see your photos!!

If you mean a plastic part that goes over the flash, then yes but even with that, it doesn't reduce light a whole lot. I guess I'll go with you suggestion and get the soft box. Last thing I want to do though is piss people off with trying to flash and adjust the whole time. I actually read blogs on concert photography and ironically most say don't use flash. I never do but I figure to try it out just cause I can bring it in now.

It's white balancing. Your flash is balanced for daytime and at night you have ambient lighting such as incandescent lights as street lamps. The camera will balance for those lights, then your flash goes off and shows blue. Put a CTO gel on it and it should balance the flash with the ambient light, then the camera will process both of them the same and should come out even.

Actually that makes total sense now. I shot outside with lamps around, so that would make sense with the camera trying to auto white balance it. I was sort of in a rush and my batteries actually died out.

 

[daytona 5000]

Do any of y'all use the eye-fi sad card?

 

[mjbetch]

If you mean a plastic part that goes over the flash, then yes but even with that, it doesn't reduce light a whole lot. I guess I'll go with you suggestion and get the soft box. Last thing I want to do though is piss people off with trying to flash and adjust the whole time. I actually read blogs on concert photography and ironically most say don't use flash. I never do but I figure to try it out just cause I can bring it in now.
Actually that makes total sense now. I shot outside with lamps around, so that would make sense with the camera trying to auto white balance it. I was sort of in a rush and my batteries actually died out.

If I were you, I would try to do some off camera flash if possible. Maybe even handheld flash.

 

[Fong$tarr]

^^^^Was thinking that too but I would have to have the flash in hand if any. No way I could have a stand on stage. Also unless I rent a lens, my 24mm will be pretty interesting to shoot with off flash. I would have to really get close and I actually only have access to the stage which ironically isn't the best close up angle cause I'd be to their backs. I am going to try and figure this out. Maybe go super early to the concert, get front stage and shoot shots there and then leave and go on stage for the back angles.

Do any of y'all use the eye-fi sad card?

I have it and as much as I love it, it's a gift and a curse. A gift cause if I take a couple of photos, I do like unloading on my phone to post on Instagram but a curse cause the app that you have to use downloads every damn photo on your card, so if you take 300 photos and the photo you want photo number 300, you have to upload all of them to your phone to get to that one.

 

[ksteezy]

 

[khankussionz]

^^^^Was thinking that too but I would have to have the flash in hand if any. No way I could have a stand on stage. Also unless I rent a lens, my 24mm will be pretty interesting to shoot with off flash. I would have to really get close and I actually only have access to the stage which ironically isn't the best close up angle cause I'd be to their backs. I am going to try and figure this out. Maybe go super early to the concert, get front stage and shoot shots there and then leave and go on stage for the back angles.
I have it and as much as I love it, it's a gift and a curse. A gift cause if I take a couple of photos, I do like unloading on my phone to post on Instagram but a curse cause the app that you have to use downloads every damn photo on your card, so if you take 300 photos and the photo you want photo number 300, you have to upload all of them to your phone to get to that one.

There is a way to set it up that it will only transfer what you select but I think you have to put a lock on the pics so that its telling the card not to delete those files. I actually had a shoot this evening and was going to use mine with my ipad mini until i realized that it was sending my raw+jpeg shots. My eyefi is the only reason I shoot raw+jpeg because I have the jpegs sent to whatever device I'm using to view the images on. And I second that I hate the app!

 

[ksteezy]

Just go to the settings on your computer and change to transfer only protected images, the app needs to be tweaked, the direct mode can be really bugged at times, over all I loooooove my eye-fi, totally redefined my IG account with it, went from 1k to over 2k followers because the quality of what I post is so much better...In 2 months I think I've posted 1 iPhone pic...lol

 

[yanky]

How are you guys posting full resolution images on ig? I'm on android and can't find an app that does that without adding the bars on the top and bottom. It's pissing me off

 

[ksteezy]

How are you guys posting full resolution images on ig? I'm on android and can't find an app that does that without adding the bars on the top and bottom. It's pissing me off

The IG app on Android needs to be tweaked, you'll never be able to post your pics without any pixelation, happens to my boy who's a pro wedding photog.

The issue you are having with the lines I'm thinking is more of a crop issue tho, all my pics get cropped when posted on IG....

 

[yanky]

How are you guys posting full resolution images on ig? I'm on android and can't find an app that does that without adding the bars on the top and bottom. It's pissing me off

The IG app on Android needs to be tweaked, you'll never be able to post your pics without any pixelation, happens to my boy who's a pro wedding photog.

The issue you are having with the lines I'm thinking is more of a crop issue tho, all my pics get cropped when posted on IG....

I'm using photogrid and I can have the entire image show but the white bars are there. I've seen a lot of people post pics and I'm thinking maybe they just zoom into the image? Idk but every time I zoom into the image most of it gets cropped out. I guess I just have to deal with it.

 

[luong1209]

I must be the only one who enjoys cellphone quality pics on IG...At least to see what people can do with their camera-phones .

 

[ksteezy]

I must be the only one who enjoys cellphone quality pics on IG...At least to see what people can do with their camera-phones .

look up @insighting kid is absolutely amazing with an iphone, i was shocked when i asked dude what dslr he shoots with and homie said "all iPhone"

 

[Fong$tarr]

Yeah....there are strictly iPhone shooters that are amazing. I figure why even bother with the effort anymore if I am already shooting DLSRs most the time. Cheating or not, there are a slew of DSLR only and iPhone only IG accounts. Even I have been seeing a lot of GoPro pics since they have wifi as well. The whole wifi thing with cameras are just expanding options for uploading better quality pics for IG.

And speaking go IG and totally geeing out on it, anyone notice how pics get automatically sharpened now wince you upload them? Sort of hate how all my pics look at the end of it, but then I am realizing I am being a total goober about it.

 

[yallayalla]

started with only using phone photos + vscocam.. now im slowly getting into posting dslr photos + whiteagram just so i could share it and tag people/sponsors.. just to get more attention i mean majority of people would rather use IG/Twitter than FB

I must be the only one who enjoys cellphone quality pics on IG...At least to see what people can do with their camera-phones .

I really respect those that go "iPhone Only" that capture crazy photos

 

[locobaby]

Great work on the newborn photos KSteezy. I have a little one on the way and I plan to flood this thread with images when he or she comes. I think I know you're set-up, but where are you getting your props from... etsy?

 

[beardedchefgawd]

Wonder how the first pic would look from no angle at all and just shoot it flat. The textures on that look real nice and the chair looks really cool as well. Would like to see more of that.

The second pic is just bad exposure from the sun being on the wrong side. Notice how all the shadows are cast in front and not behind. I would just go back there during sunup to get that pic. As far as the props and background, I think that is perfect. Even the color of the letters are perfect too. not to bold and works well with the yellow background.

This is most of the pictures that I took that day. I would like to go back but it's about an hour and a half away and it was a $50 fee to shoot there.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8br48xy2l3246ca/oHx2oVsa0n

 

[trynafeelmink]

Out of the set i think these 3 are the best

1)

2)

3) The initial photo you posted

but overall good work and great scenery.

 

[219elite]

speaking of flash, a friend of mine invited me to shadow him while he shoots an upcoming fashion show. i was told that i would need a flash. Anyone have a link on general basics of how to use them and what situations are best for them? or just sone useful info for a beginner/first time user? using the canon t3i btw

 

[trynafeelmink]

Has anyone used the Photoshop app for the Iphone and how does it stack up to VSCO?

also i'm in need of a control for my DSLR and i have saw plenty for my iphone but don't know how useful it would be if i don't have my computer near

 

[Fong$tarr]

^^^^^^VSCO is more for the filters even though it has some adjustments you can do to it. The best thing about VSCO imo is how you can use the filter sparingly whether you want the filter to its max or just a hint of it. As far as photoshop, most people use Snapseed instead. It just has more options to enhance your photos. Usually you would run a photo through a filter first and adjust it after with Snapseed. I find that to be the mos effective as far as mobile editing goes.

 

[khankussionz]

I saw on one of the photography sites that I follow, that Adobe slipped up and showed something for a mobile Lightroom.

 

[yanky]

Anyone into astrophotgraphy/star photography? I literally tried for the first time ever in life less than 30 minutes ago.

Unfortunately, it's a bit chilly and windy outside so I didn't last long. I know it's a bit sloppy and I should have taken the UV filter out, but I didn't have any patience.

Anyone else ever try?


Second one was just a test shot - notice the camera shake.

Little Dipper
]

Have you tried doing star trails? The shutter speed would have to be 30min or even longer but the effects are stunning.