Grandkids updated

[stevethesparks]

My last (and first) photographic post, I was moaning I hadn't touched my gear in nearly a year.
My Son was moaning that I hadn't taken any yet of his youngest so bullied me into getting set up over the break.
Theres only so much you can do in my smallish lounge, also with one of my flash heads out of action, but they didn't come out too bad.
Pretty boring with white background and compared to those who have a better eye than me and actually take their camera's outside the house
In age order:

 

[telectrix]

good pics, there. what gear do you use?

 

[stevethesparks]

Many thanks, although if I put them on a photographic forum, they'd get ripped to pieces lol.

My main camera is the Canon classic 5D. I purchased this purely for high definition for bigger enlargements (it was high definition when I first got it). Favorite len's are Tamron 28-75mm, Canon 85mm 1.8 (couldn't afford the 1.2) and more recently the Canon 70-200 f4.

Many years ago, I used to dev and print my own, I spent ages in my outdoor shed / darkroom.
I spent much time and a small fortune trying to get the colour balance right, with a 20 minute delay between each print. How things have been made easier now with digital. It has certainly improved my knowledge by being able to experiment with free digital images, but unfortunately has spoilt me, and turned me into a bit of a snapper rather than photographer, as I no longer have to make every shot count on a roll of 36 exposure 35mm.

 

[stevethesparks]

A couple more from yesterday.

 

[telectrix]

love the canon gear. just acquired a 40D body. accepts my EF lenses from my aging 10D. tamron 24-70, canon 35-105, sigma 70-300, sigma prime 400, canon prime 50mm. 1.8.

 

[Simlec]

Nice pics Steve, I like. I'm currently doing a bit of home portraits myself but also finding I'm a bit bored with the standard background and currently looking for a cheap (well diy) background.
Yes but using digital gives you more time to take pics and be more creative.

 

[stevethesparks]

For the price, although it can wobble a bit, the 50mm 1,8 can be an excellent lens. I would have at first liked the Canon equivalent to my Tamron, but to be honest apart from focusing a little slower, I think it compares in quality as regards the images it can produce.
How you getting on with the 40D?
Do you generally shoot straight to Jpeg or RAW?

 

[telectrix]

raw at the moment. haven't figured out how to select jpeg on it's own. in the quality menu it only gives options for raw L, M and S.

 

[stevethesparks]

Nice pics Steve, I like. I'm currently doing a bit of home portraits myself but also finding I'm a bit bored with the standard background and currently looking for a cheap (well diy) background.
Yes but using digital gives you more time to take pics and be more creative.

One of my favourites, although not used recently as you need a fair bit of depth between subject and background, is a black or black with a rear light pointing at it giving a fall-off effect - as in pic 1,2,& 8 of my previous photo post.
What background do you generally use?

 

[stevethesparks]

raw at the moment. haven't figured out how to select jpeg on it's own. in the quality menu it only gives options for raw L, M and S.

I prefer Raw, it allows me some control if I make exposure mistakes. My old photoshop CS3 works good with the 5D, but when I bought a 550D body (mainly for the video) I found my current version of photoshop wouldn't handle the RAW files so had to buy a cheaper version of Elements - what a rip off.

 

[Simlec]

Only shoot in RAW as I use Lightroom & photoshop as JPEG has little control.
Never really done portraits before so it's all new to me and I only have the one strobe which I have just purchased my first umbrella for. Just white walls at mo but pics all feel like school pics, I wanted something with a bit of drama if you know what I mean.

 

[stevethesparks]

For the subject lighting, you can do fine with just the one strobe - with the aid of a reflector for fill - use very close to the subject. the best purchase I made with lighting was my first Elinchrom two flash kit (D-Lite 200) of which also came with stands and soft boxes.
Some in the photo forums slagged them off a fair bit, but for me they have behaved impeccably and in my opinion are a great start into photographic lighting.
I've not really seen what's available nowadays, (I spent far too much in the past) but I'm sure these will have been superseded by something better by now.

 

[telectrix]

i had a studio flash in my film camera days, but for the bulk found it was easier to use a speedlight on the camera with a couple of sigma flashguns on tripods slaved to it.

 

[Simlec]

I looked at the current lighting kits but don't have space at moment to store them so went the strobe way to see if I like this type of photography first. That's the only problem space, living room looks like a film studio after 10 min. Are you using a frame for your background or hanging from wall?

 

[stevethesparks]

I used to hang sheets on the wall lol, but nowadays use a purpose made stand and large rolls of paper.
The best thing I ever done was to hire a hall for a few hours, all the space you need, and can also achieve those black background with no background at all - as you have the depth.

Edit
How I would have love a purpose built studio rather than my lounge

 

[Simlec]

I did wonder this, when you say paper background how does this fair when people stand on it? Or is it more like the stuff projector screens are made of.

 

[stevethesparks]

You really want something that is non reflective - dependant on what effects you want to achieve.
With the paper, I generally use it continuous from background, curved onto the floor. if you use it on a hard floor and keep your subjects shoes off of it, it will last a lot longer, to be rolled up again with a possible couple of more uses from it.
However, yesterday, having it rolled out onto a carpet, holes soon appeared, and so had to cut and roll some more off. It can get expensive.
For head and shoulder portraits, you can use almost anything, if you have the depth between your subject and background, you can be a lot more creative, and also makes it easier to isolate your subject into an almost 3D image up front.
Some people swear by upside down lino, I suppose at least it can be wiped clean.

 

[Besoeker]

Sometimes you just get lucky....

Eldest grandson........the eyes have it.........
No special set up........longish lens and a shallow depth of field.

 

[Besoeker]

And sometimes just opportunity...........

 

[stevethesparks]

After nearly 6 years, not having time due to being self employed. Now forced into early retirement (I put in 49 years) I've dusted off some of my gear. Now fully intend to enjoy my retirement getting back into portraiture.

 

[pirate]

Due to Covid I have been getting back to photography a little bit. Used to do some pro stuff for work, but not really high quality. I use a venerable Canon Rebel (350D) which I have used and abused for many years, and it's hardly state-of-the -art, but it is a workhorse. My go to lens for interior shoots is a 10-20mm Sigma, but I have a variety of other Canon and Sigma ones.
I also have the classic A1, and a AE1, and I have thought about going back to film with those just for fun, but it's expensive compared with digital, obviously. I would have sold them off, but you get buttons for what are pieces of art...
I carry an Ixus in my pocket for fun, but the phone gets used a lot these days.
Still trying to get to grips with my GoPro...but i will persevere!

 

[telectrix]

i still have a canon AE1, 2 canon EOS film bodies, couple od Zenits, and a couple of 1960's 120 roll film jobbies. as you say, film is too expensive these days. pity as we used to make every shot count, whereas now it's the shotgun approach. take 100 and hope that 3 or 4 are worth keeping.

 

[stevethesparks]

Unfortunately I had to sell some gear a few years ago during a lull in my self employment, I wish I hadn't now.
Not so much money available now to purchase replacements :-(
The price of photographic gear has more than doubled IMO over several years.

 

[stevethesparks]

One from today. I cheated and took these separately, Turned one around and merged them. Looks like a floating head on the left, but on my monitor (original image) you can see the detail of the black jumper. 1st studio session with my upgrade in gear EOS 6DMKII

 

[pirate]

Nice image there! I've spent a bit of time revisiting my Canon Rebel over the last year, and while I am fairly happy with the results I never really print any of the images except for any "requests" from friends and family. The photos I take for myself are simply filed on my PC and may never get looked at again. The quality from my phone is perfectly good enough for viewing on a decent sized monitor, so the phone gets used almost daily, but the Canon only comes out for special trips where I have a specific goal in mind. I don't do many "trips" these days as the low cost of digital is outweighed by the high cost of diesel!
Anyway, please do post some more pics in due course. It's refreshing change from electrical stuff!

 

[stevethesparks]

Anyway, please do post some more pics in due course. It's refreshing change from electrical stuff!

Thank you.
I must admit, and it has surprised me that since retiring, I have lost all interest in the electrical trade.

Is that the 550D you have? Was and still is a decent camera. I upgraded to the 6DMKII after buying a second hand 6D, the difference compared to my pre-loved 5D was night and day. As I sometimes make pretty big enlargements I wanted the extra definition. I traded 2x 5D's and my 550D in towards the purchase.

 

[pirate]

Nope, it's the original 350D, known as the Rebel in US and other markets. Must be 25 years old now and has never missed a beat, and served me well at work for 20 of those years. I guess it's relative simplicity and build quality was a factor in me not "upgrading", and the small variety of lenses I have covered every eventuality I encountered.
Saw a Pentax Spotmatic on sale in my local charity shop, immaculate condition...£8!
I didn't buy it, as I still have an immaculate A1 and AE1...but afterwards I thought "hey, no money in these, so why not collect them and build a "camera wall"? Still can't get used to my GoPro either...but I'm probably too old!