I finally broke down and now I'm going to talk about the photo equipment I use. Some people are more interested in gear more than others like me, who like looking at and talking about the photos more.
So here's what I own and use:
Nikon D70s
18-70mm 3.5-4.5 (came with my camera)
50mm 1.4
17-35mm 2.8
SB600 flash
SB800 flash
Flash diffuser
Photoflex softbox
Manfrotto light stand (not pictured)
I also use Photoshop for retouching - on a PC running Vista. As said earlier, if you own a dSLR, you probably have a better camera than I do. The D70s is a few years old and is by no means a "professional" camera. Part of the reason why I don't like focusing too much on the equipment is that it really doesn't matter too much what you use as long as it's fast and reliable and does what you want. Having a better camera won't make your pictures look great overnight, it takes a little bit of practice and having a good feel for what the final pics will look like. Here are some things I've learned so far:
- Go light: Carry what you need in a small bag and don't lug around all your equipment if it's not necessary. I have a "murse" I carry 1 lens and a extra battery and a couple of small things. The bigger the bag, the more cumbersome and heavy.
- People look good smiling: "say cheese" is very cliche but smiling is still great especially when it's a genuine smile.
- Light first: Before the background, always check out the lighting - if it's harsh, etc. Don't mix harsh sun with shadow because you'll get some really dark areas and areas that are too bright, especially if there are bits of sun in people's faces. Just be in all shade or all sun.
- Don't be self conscious about your equipment: I've had big lenses on my camera, I've had small cheapy lenses on my camera. Heck, I could've been shooting with a shoebox with a hole cut out, no one ever asked me about it. They're only interested in the pictures.
- Tripods are a pain: I've tried it once when I was shooting in Dana Point and it was the most cumbersome, slow, and ineffective device for shooting people. Instead, use high ISO and fast lenses.
- Lens caps and camera straps are a pain: I can't count how many times I've tried to take a picture with the cap still on. The straps seem to always be in the way but if you must, neoprene ones make things seem lighter.
- Use flash sparingly: It's a pain to get the lighting just right and it makes people look not so good. I always prefer natural lighting.
- Prime lenses rule them all: You can't zoom but the pictures are incredible when used right.- Go light: Carry what you need in a small bag and don't lug around all your equipment if it's not necessary. I have a "murse" I carry 1 lens and a extra battery and a couple of small things. The bigger the bag, the more cumbersome and heavy.
- People look good smiling: "say cheese" is very cliche but smiling is still great especially when it's a genuine smile.
- Light first: Before the background, always check out the lighting - if it's harsh, etc. Don't mix harsh sun with shadow because you'll get some really dark areas and areas that are too bright, especially if there are bits of sun in people's faces. Just be in all shade or all sun.
- Don't be self conscious about your equipment: I've had big lenses on my camera, I've had small cheapy lenses on my camera. Heck, I could've been shooting with a shoebox with a hole cut out, no one ever asked me about it. They're only interested in the pictures.
- Tripods are a pain: I've tried it once when I was shooting in Dana Point and it was the most cumbersome, slow, and ineffective device for shooting people. Instead, use high ISO and fast lenses.
- Lens caps and camera straps are a pain: I can't count how many times I've tried to take a picture with the cap still on. The straps seem to always be in the way but if you must, neoprene ones make things seem lighter.
- Use flash sparingly: It's a pain to get the lighting just right and it makes people look not so good. I always prefer natural lighting.
- Stuff looks awesome printed: Don't forget to print your pictures and blow them up. Even pictures that look a little blurry and grainy come out great in print.
- Ditch the inkjet: Go to Target, order your prints at a kiosk, walk around for 15 minutes and pick up your photos. Buying ink is a ripoff and it doesn't look as nice.
- Photography equipment is expensive: Duh.
- Learn from others: Choose some pictures you really like and mimic them to learn how they were shot. Then apply those techniques to your own style of shooting. Or just ask around or use Google.
- Get up close: Don't be shy, get up close. Get on your knees...get on your stomach. Try new angles. Stuff like this makes it more interesting.
Almost everyone I know either has a Nikon or Canon. It's quite divided - more on this later.
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