rahullele

I'm not in any business or anything of that sort .. (although i'd like to do that at some point.. ) as of now i'm just shooting for friends .. and free .. but i was wondering .. Say if you take a shoot .. How many picture you offer as Fully edited (full level and skin work) . 

Example my friend is getting married. I kind of their pre wedding pictures to upload on their wedding website .. I ended up shooting total of 174 pictures .. 34 of them survived culling process. They would love to have it all. But it'll take way too much time for me to edit them all with full levels and skin work.

How do pros do it? How many fully edited images you commit ?

Do you give images those are not full edit?  (if'd give just raw edits along with fully edited ones .. they are going to notice difference).  

Any place information like this available ? 

Appreciate inputs !!!

Focus check please. 

Focus check please. 

First 3, Fundraising events for charity where taking pictures of people attending .. Key speaker and public figures etc. yet to do wedding but indian weddings tend to be on similar lines. And yes. Portraits .. Mostly people are available after working hours .. late ... so its going to be in artificial light in room with plain background.

I'm looking for easy portable light system which will allow me to shoot at around ISO 800 with f/6.3 + at minimum 1/110th of sec. Don't know if at all its possible hence checking with you. 

Should i search for multiple flash units or Strobe or some magic solution which will give me acceptable exposure on above settings ?

@Brian Any input on this ? as of now, i'm planning trial session with another photographer to get multiple flashes together .. but i'm very skeptical that it'll help us in getting better exposure at low light. I think Flash can be used to improve on point exposure but it'll not be substitute for light. 

Any inputs on direction ? what to google ? 

Thank you Brian, I did shoot and focused on getting everything right (as right as i can get) in camera. 

i'm already in Skin class. Those pictures will be good exercise  for me in that class. Thanks again. 

After moving to 6.3 + and after a bit of practice .. i think i got it. However that brings another problem. The reason i was trying to go wide open is because (nearly always) shoot in less light. Given light condition, i've to bump my ISO way more than i like. 

As of now. I'm arranging timings and checking for daylight and cancelling based on weather and all (Its free shoot of friends so they don't complain.) but .. i'd like to sort it out if it can fit in budget. 

If i've to go indoor and go for budget lighting system (preferable easy to carry .. if i attend function in low light and want to carry it there or something ?) what should i search? is there a starting point you can suggest ? 

Thank you Brian .. you actually nailed my issue. The moment i stopped opening lens wide open (.. which i was doing for light ) .. My pictures are coming up much better .. in terms of focus. I find myself constantly using f/6 to f/11 and i don't have this issue any more. (That brings me to light i'm missing for indoor and i'll post separate question in the next equipment .. ) But that brings me to my next planned shoot. 

This is in general question for i'd say both @Brian & @Damien Symonds . I've shoot tomorrow .. to take picture of 2 ladies .. 55 + and they made it pretty clear .. they don't want to see wrinkles in their final pictures. (I've been warned 3 times ) 

If i use that 70-200 E .. that thing, along with f/6 to f/11 ... in order to get focus .. is going to capture each and every wrinkle on their faces ... Knowing that i've to remove those wrinkles later .. should i go for some different strategy ? 

Like purposefully going to wide aperture again to get eye in focus but may to be blur skin on purpose ? or bad idea ? could use some inputs. 

960 ?  To be on the safer side ? 

nope. Not profile pic.. In general album to showcase my work. I do not know specifications to that. 

Hey Damien, 

I'm in the last stages of workflow and preparing my files to be uploaded for facebook/instagram. I was referring to save for web action. In the Variable water mark, getting ready step, there is mention of

.. "If you’ve never even resized a photo for web before, that’s pretty serious. Please visit me at Ask Damien so I can help you out with that."..

I never resized for web.. (plainly uploaded images sadly..).. but ..  In the Layers and mask class, there is link for crop/resize tutorial ... That is all or there is something else?

May be i'm getting confused but just want to verify..

I want to post image to facebook which allows 720 x 720 px. My cameras aspect ratio (and hence if i don't want to crop anything) .. is  3: 2 (W:H)  Hence.. i want to enter 720 px as width and 480px as hight.. and then i'm done with resize part correct ? 

BTW, i tried f/4 and i got one eye sharp and second eye did not come in focus .. That is fail focus in Damiens book. Pictures are in the post attached. 

I think i've to go stop down.  and start with 5.6 or 8. i should have purchased 70-200 f/4 and saved that money .. whats point of extra spending ... (although quality of image is pretty good.) 

On 12/18/2017 at 9:04 PM, Brian said:

Guess who is seriously thinking about dropping $6500 on a D5? This guy. Now I just have to find a way to pay for it. 

Nikon Aquisition Syndrome. It NEVER ENDS.

Oh my god. This is expensive addiction. Good luck with either ways ... 

For someone who never put hands on top end body, .... Out of curiosity question. How much is the ISO performance of these cameras .. (frame rate is not needed for me but i struggle with light.) 

There were rave reviews about D750 for low light performance. People keep telling me that .. don't worry about ISO.. you got D750 .. it'll easily go till 6400 without hiccups and i find myself putting luminance noise correction setting at around 85 for ISO 500 setting. Its still good picture but honestly i expected more. (either i got defective piece or thats what performance is . .. for good camera. It was refurbished purchase BTW.) 

if i decide to sell my D750 .. and go for old used top end model (D4 is listed at $1900 ) would i get better ISO performance that D750 ? 

On 12/18/2017 at 8:58 PM, Brian said:

As for which lens to be on-par with the 70-200E? I'd say the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8E. It pains me to say that due to the higher cost, but it's an honest answer. 

Thanks a lot Brian. not that i was aiming for it but i tried to take picture with nearby same settings with new 70-200 @70 mm and tamron 24-70 @70mm. ISO 500 f/4 (which is still not giving complete face in focus .. Damien is breaking plates on my name .. how come this guy is not getting part this is out of focus picture. I think i need to get to f/8 ) 1/160th both Raw processed, yet to go through photoshop.  I think Tamron is giving me more than what i expected (I got refurbished at $700 year ago). For sure when i'll earn some money, i'll spend it on Nikon 24-70E. But till that i think Tamron will do for me . Although i could use input on how to sell my 50mm. I'm selling that one for sure.  

Brian, 

To be honest, i was kind for cursing myself for spending that much money on lens .. (Even after buying it) .. today i received prints for my prints sharpening class. 

and now i'm finally convinced that .. This is it..  I'm glad i asked this question. and glad that i listened to your advice .. Now the criteria for my next lens is going to be simple .. is it similar or better than 70-200 E.. I'm going to check the which length i shoot most on all my tamron 24-70 pictures and get back to you.. but let me know if there are other lens you know which are as sharp as this 70-200E. i'm going to start saving money. 

I tried that link(with best of my capacity and wishes)

 I hope it worked. 

Thanks again. 

Just wanted to let you know that i placed order. Thanks once again ... 

@Damien Symonds Is there any mechanism via which i can buy pack of beers (At least ) for Brian .. His advice is like cheat code in gaming. Helping me to cut through level i'm struggling with. 

Wow. That’s really nice deal. Thank you sir 

I can extend it till $350 and just purchase after a paycheck later than I was thinking initially. 

Or hope for some discount on Christmas time  

And If that option is available in my budget, I’ll definitely pick sturdy and lightweight. 

Thanks a ton sir. Much appreciated!!! 

I forgot to provide most important aspect while asking question. My budget is not high on this. I’ve 5-6 shots in mind and although i love night photography and that is not possible without paying good bucks. Looking for something compact quick to carry. not more than $200. 

BTW, which tripod you’d recommend if I decide to get? 

My requirement will be One that will support 70-200 on d750 with flash on the side vertical position. (Portrait mode ?)

I tried to research about it but there are so many confusing details (like ball head, plate) which I’ve no clue about. Don’t know which of those details i need to pay attention to. 

Thanks a lot sir. I’ll give another go and follow your suggestions.

Greatly appreciate inputs !! 

My gear: nikon D750 with Godox ving v860iin. Along with lens above. 

AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR

I’m struggling to get super sharp close up picture for print sharpening class. Appreciate if you can provide input on the “least expensive set up to get it done” 

Here is my problem. 

Requirements is “close up, Must be shot in good light and very low ISO settings” 

If i decide to shoot indoor ( winter is here in Chicago and it’s freezing cold). I’d few close ups pictures in stock, nearby passable but that will not fly with Damian (rightfully so) 

I first calculate my depth of filed. Put 200 mm to get full magnification. 

Given our hall, i can shoot from 12 feet distance. If i go for Atleast 7” focal plane i need f/16. 

Then i come to my other settings. For f/16 and ISO 100 on the very good indoor light my calculations bring me to 1 second territory. 

I don’t know how people do it. For 1s, even if you have tripod, you need good model to hold pose steady. 

I don’t have tripod or lighting equipment. On the wishlist but not with me as of now.  

I can buy something in less than $100 but thats all i got for now. 

What are my options?  What would you suggest as sneaky way out in this situation? 

Sorry for my weird font and size of it. Typing from my cell.