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RE: [OM] [OT] Initial thoughts on the Nikon 4000 and related topics -

Subject: RE: [OM] [OT] Initial thoughts on the Nikon 4000 and related topics - LONG
From: "Olaf Greve" <o.greve@xxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 13:47:57 +0200
Hi Tom,

> I think you're right about the umbrellas.  That should be my next
purchase.

Actually, you can also very easily make them yourself (no idea what "the
real thing" will cost), simply take a pair of suitable umbrellas and
spray-paint them white. My issue with having done it this way, is that the
umbrellas don't have proper stands, so I have to tape them to a tripod. :)

> I was surprised at the shadows though. The flash units are at 45 degree
> angles from the kids and aimed about 60 degrees in the air, meaning mostly
> at the ceiling.  Small room, white walls, more effiecient reflectors than
> expected.

I hardly ever use bounce light with flashes as I find it unpredictable, a
thing which I almost always do, is to put the Wide Angle Diffuser filter on
the T32, this is *great* for quick shots where an umbrella set-up (and/or
bouncing) is impossible. These filters can also very easily be created by
cutting a piece out of a milk jug. Actually, that's an aspect I like a lot
about these studio set-ups, for once with very cheap materials you can come
a long way in setting up a half-way decent studio. :) The backdrop can be
either paper or cloth, the flash diffusers can be made from a milk jug or
better, from a simple set of umbrellas and some white paint, as reflectors
the standard isolation foam boards work really well, and if you need a good
way to mount the background, I suggest nailing an array of "crocodile
clamps" (are these things called liked that? - I'm talking about the clamps
to which an electric wire can be connected and which can then be clamped on
some conductive surface) to the ceiling/wall, this way you can easily and
quickly change backgrounds.

> I shot most of them at f/4 with the 85/2 and 50/1.4. No room for the 100.
I was a little
> surprised at the depth of field myself.

Indeed! I thought you stopped down to f8 or so :)

> My other purchase needs to be proper background material.

In the somewhat more professional studios you will see that people use paper
backdrops, yet I don't have the means to hang such a big roll from my
ceiling. That is, I don't see a quick and easy way in which I then can also
easily change backdrops...

> Oh, and a house with a longer room, but that one will wait <g>.

Hehehe, so much for the "cheap" suggestions ;)

> I'm trying to figure out which room I can permanently mount backdrops that
roll down.

Yes, that would indeed be the preferred method.

> Loved your dog shots, particularly the one with the bone on the black
cloth.

Thanks, this is one of my favourites too. There were more shots from this
session which I really liked, but I just selected the two of these for the
page.

> My other 'next step' is more posed shots with props -- a little more
natural looking.
> Always new things to do!

Certainly! :)
Regarding the "attention period": if you thought that was bad with your
daughters, try doing so with a puppy ;) One of the reasons the chewing bone
is in the picture was to maintain the dog interested in something so she
would stay in the same place for a second or two :) You're right though,
this is a tough thing. The way I went about it was to fully set-up the
studio first (took ma an hour or so), then when I had charged the flashes
and everything was ready, I quickly brought Gioka to the studio, and used
Gioconda as an assistent in distracting her :)

Cheers!
Olafo


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