my new flash..

[Mitchell]

Sweet my new canon sppedlite 430ex 2 just came today!!!!!!!!! with a wescott 30" reflector..
ITS SO MUTCH FUN!!!!!!

[bob_r]

Congrats, Mitchell, but where are the pics?

I just bought some studio strobes and tried them out yesterday for the first time. I didn't have much time to use them because my granddaughter has a horse show today, but here's a shot of one of my grandsons. It's a little underexposed, but that's the look I was trying to get. I did need a hair light to separate him from the background, so I'll work on that next time.

Canon 30D - Canon 50mm f/1.4 - 1/250s f/8.0 at 50.0mm iso200

[Mitchell]

well i got alot of pics but dont want to post any of those "there my sisters stuffed animals" becuase no one like there photo taken here.. lol

[bob_r]

well i got alot of pics but dont want to post any of those "there my sisters stuffed animals" becuase no one like there photo taken here.. lol

Stuffed animal pics are perfectly acceptable! I know what you mean about trying to find victims to pose. My grandkids and dog all run whenever they see me with a camera. I managed to grab my grandson right after he got home from school and before he could get to his room. Once he settles in, there's no way I could get him downstairs to model.

BTW, Blue Crane has a tutorial DVD for the 430/580 if you'd like one. I bought mine from Amazon and I believe it was around $20.

[Mitchell]

these are two shots i took yesterday.

.1 i had the refletor to the right and swiveled the head to the right also

.2 i had the refletor to the left and the flash swiveled that way to

[bob_r]

I like them!

[Mitchell]

any tips on what i could have done better??
also i would like to take peoples pictures for a job, any ideas on how to get started anyone?..

[oTTer]

I have some big teddy bears that would make good posers. They don't have a room to run to... and why aren't stuffed animals acceptable?? Put them outside

[bob_r]

any tips on what i could have done better??
also i would like to take peoples pictures for a job, any ideas on how to get started anyone?..

Those look pretty good, but I don't know what you were trying to achieve. You might consider getting a diffuser for the flash. I use a Sto-fen omni-bounce on mine. They're rather inexpensive and do a nice job of spreading out the light. Here's a link to one:
http://www.adorama.com/SFOMSG2.html?sea ... item_no=68

I imagine taking pictures of people for a living is going to be difficult. Since so many people have access to fantastic gear at reasonable prices, it would require that you bring a lot of skill to the table. Portrait photographers used to make a pretty good living because most people simply couldn't afford all the necessary equipment. Also, you didn't have Photoshop to help clean up any mistakes. I'm sure it's possible, but it won't be easy. I have professional photographer friends and most don't shoot just portraits. One shoots a lot of sporting events for the high shools. He also shoots arial photography (he hangs out of a helicopter with no door on his side) and I always insist that he's a little crazy. He gave up shooting weddings and most portraits because so many of his clients decided to go with a "friend that has a digital camera".

[Mitchell]

well i wasent trying to acheive really a certain thing i was just trying out my new flash..
i know i got along ways to come to do any real professonal stuff but, i cant figure out how to make very mutch money off of nature photography "becuase i think it would be so cool to become a really good nature photographer" other than doing alot of workshops witch i cant do till im like 16 or 18 or somthing

oh and thanks for the link on the diffuser, definitly somthing i'll be looking at getting