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Re: ABC’s of Digital Photography and Digital SLRs
[Re: DavidRamey]
#20679
05/02/09 11:04 AM
05/02/09 11:04 AM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Kansas
psmith
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Nov 2008
Kansas
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Quote:
Barbra,
I would recommend to you that you only format the CF card in the camera. On the computer, you run the risk of changing the file format that could make the card not work inside your camera.
I second that. I format in the camera only. And I usually make it a practice to start any shoots with freshly formatted cards.
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Re: ABC’s of Digital Photography and Digital SLRs
[Re: psmith]
#20680
05/02/09 11:14 AM
05/02/09 11:14 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
NY
AdoptAPet
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
NY
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Quote:
I second that. I format in the camera only. And I usually make it a practice to start any shoots with freshly formatted cards.
Ok good. That is what I am doing.
Today I am having the same problem I had in class and this is why the instructor told me I need an updated camera <sigh>
I changed my stage again and now I am shooting on the floor. Needless to say I had to move my lights around (and yes I sure am trying to work on the catch lights). I was forced to go to ISO 1600, could not lower my f-stop below 5 and in order to meter the light correctly that forced the shutter speed to be very slow. Very slow and moving kitties does not work well.
So, the million dollar question of the day is where do I go from here?
Thanks,
Barbra
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Re: ABC’s of Digital Photography and Digital SLRs
[Re: AdoptAPet]
#20682
05/02/09 01:08 PM
05/02/09 01:08 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Alaska
DavidRamey
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2006
Alaska
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You can add more hot lights to get more light. For example, instead of using one hot light in an umbrella, you can use 2, 3 or even 4 to get more light. If you were to buy more powerful hot lights. I would recommend that you go with Photoflex.
I would not recommend you go with strobes until you are comfortable enough to previsualize your light set up and know what type of lighting you are going to have before you even turn on the lights. After you get to that point, then I would recommend going to strobes, probably Alien Bees.
You should go to Web Photo School . You can learn a lot about lighting there. To learn about strobes, I would send you to Alien Bees . Another place to go would be Studio Lightning.net . This should keep you busy. Happy reading.
David Ramey Photography
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Re: ABC’s of Digital Photography and Digital SLRs
[Re: psmith]
#20684
05/02/09 02:00 PM
05/02/09 02:00 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
TN
Julie
Addict
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Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
TN
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Before you buy anything, you MUST understand exposure. You still are not getting it or you wouldn't be shooting with your shutter speed so slow. Its like riding a bike, once you get it, you never forget. This would be a first purchase http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Expo.../ref=pd_sim_b_1
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Re: Strobes vs. Hot Lights
[Re: AdoptAPet]
#20686
05/03/09 10:07 AM
05/03/09 10:07 AM
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Joined: Apr 2009
I_See_Spots
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2009
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Quote:
Thanks Geri. There are a lot of nice people on here and a great amount of talent so feel free to jump in any time. Are you photographing animals or just learning photography in general?
Barbra
Just trying to learn photography in general, and then will focus on pets, and some people portraits. That's down the road though, I've given myself the next year to learn, and will hopefully be taking some summer/fall photography classes this summer.
Can I offer one observation from myself? I originally started with a Canon 300D.......which is an older camera. I wanted to first get used to using all the different types of shooting methods, and get used to a camera that isn't just point and shoot, without having to be afraid of wrecking it because of the investment I was putting into it. I used that camera for about a year, and got some really great photos out of it. Probably not to the same caliber as the professionals on this forum, but none-the-less, some really nice pictures. I just recently moved up to my Nikon D700, and aside from the big bucks you'd have to shell out to buy it, I find that I'm right back in the learning process, just trying to learn it because the features are so different compared to the Canon. The one thing that I realized the most, is that with the Canon, I could get great pictures even though it was an old camera, it was just a little more work because the lighting had to be better controlled, and also having a good lens was really helpful as well. I have a whole other set of problems I'm trying to work through with my new camera, and can testify to the fact that right now a new camera won't be a complete fix to your problems. Don't completely disreguard your camera because someone who boasts about their $5,000 camera tells you to do so.
One other thing, post processing in Photoshop really was helpful once I started shooting in RAW.
Geri
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Re: Strobes vs. Hot Lights
[Re: I_See_Spots]
#20687
05/04/09 06:37 AM
05/04/09 06:37 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
NY
AdoptAPet
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
NY
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Quote:
I have a whole other set of problems I'm trying to work through with my new camera, and can testify to the fact that right now a new camera won't be a complete fix to your problems. Don't completely disreguard your camera because someone who boasts about their $5,000 camera tells you to do so.
LOL do you think it will ever get easier?
From what I have been hearing and reading it seems to me that the first upgrade I need to make is on more light. There is nothing wrong with the camera (meaning I could get it to do what I want/need if I had better lighting).
Are you using hot lights or strobes?
Barbra
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Re: Strobes vs. Hot Lights
[Re: AdoptAPet]
#20688
05/04/09 07:24 AM
05/04/09 07:24 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
NY
AdoptAPet
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
NY
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CF Card – Got it. I download with the printer reader and then put the card back into the camera and format. Ready for next shoot. Quote:
Sounds like you need more light, not a new camera. Even with the new cameras you don't want to be shooting cats much above 3200 ISO.
Yes I understood that. I guess I was not clear. What I was trying to say was with my current conditions (equipment, set-up and lighting) I could not get the lighting to where I need it to be (giving you all the numbers to show where I was at). Not that it matters, but the instructor told me I didn’t want to be shooting the cats much above 400 ISO (800 if lighting forced me to do so).
I am on a strobe mission. The rescue and cats is something I see in my future for many years to come (if it doesn't kill me first)  and I am thinking everyone will agree that when I do have things better under control and when I am understanding everything better then it will be time to upgrade to strobes, so it is foolish for me to spend any money upgrading the hot light set-up.
Quote:
Get a nifty fifty. Canon 50mm, f1.8 EF lens.
What will the differences be with this lens?
Quote:
Photoflex
Ohhhhh I see something else that’s interesting. I did not understand what David meant about my adding 3 lights to one umbrella. Three lights can be added to one umbrella, but not “my” umbrella? This looks like a set-up that would work
http://www.photoflex.com/Photoflex_Products/Constellation3_Large_SilverDome_Kit/index.html
1,000 watt lamps (they go up to 3,000)! Basically, that is one soft box for the price of 3 Bees. Which makes more sense for my needs? The one thing I can say is whatever I do it is 100% for the cats. It doesn’t matter to me if I get a set-up that works for the cats and nothing else. The only thing I am ever taking pictures of is cats.
Quote:
Alien Bees
David thanks for the links!!! I started going through the first and it was very informative (I probably won’t have a chance to get back there before the weekend, but definitely will). With the Alien Bee site is there a forum or teach area that you want me to see (or are you just sending me there to see the various products)?
Thanks again everyone for all your help.
Barbra
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