would love some advice/constructive criticism

[monkeybort]

heh – caradoc – the setup for the rings shot was about a foot and a half off of the ground – i was laying in the middle of the trail. when i shopped pants it was all about ease of movement and simplicity of cleansing. more difficult than expected when you’re trying to buy something that doesn’t look like it belongs on a construction site.

[millera9]

i’m not sure what you’re talking about curious? combine existing shots or do a setup where I can see the people through the rings? I definitely need a closer-focusing lens to get any engraving detail; i just don’t have the glass for that right now.

Yes you do. Go buy a set of Kenko extension tubes. They allow you to shoot macros with a standard lens by pulling the body away from the lens element. Most of the recent macros in my flickr stream were taken with my 70-200 f4 L which has a minimum distance of 1.2 meters. With a 36mm extension tube on there, I can get as close as I want. They take some getting used to because they eliminate the ability to focus to infinity, so you can only take close-ups when they’re on there, but there’s no glass in them so your lens quality isn’t harmed and the AF still works because they communicate with the camera body just fine. They’re a good solution for someone looking to expand their abilities without breaking the bank on new lenses.

[caradoc]

Dickies Work Pants are darned near indestructible, and five minutes with a seam ripper takes their colorful little logo off.

From five feet they’re almost indistinguishable from any other “business casual” pants, and paired with a nice dark dress shirt and tie they let you blend into the crowd rather nicely.

I hate seeing everyone in tuxedos or suits and the photographer wandering around in khaki pants and a plaid shirt with a “photojournalist’s vest” over it.

You get better candids when they don’t see you coming, anyway.

[schnee]

i’m not sure what you’re talking about curious? combine existing shots or do a setup where I can see the people through the rings? I definitely need a closer-focusing lens to get any engraving detail; i just don’t have the glass for that right now.

Yes you do. Go buy a set of Kenko extension tubes. They allow you to shoot macros with a standard lens by pulling the body away from the lens element. Most of the recent macros in my flickr stream were taken with my 70-200 f4 L which has a minimum distance of 1.2 meters. With a 36mm extension tube on there, I can get as close as I want. They take some getting used to because they eliminate the ability to focus to infinity, so you can only take close-ups when they’re on there, but there’s no glass in them so your lens quality isn’t harmed and the AF still works because they communicate with the camera body just fine. They’re a good solution for someone looking to expand their abilities without breaking the bank on new lenses.

I have the same lens as millera9 and for my closeup work, I slap on a Nikon 5T closeup lens. It is a color corrected diopter, and examples of the closeups can be found on my flickr page.

[monkeybort]

caradoc – i went with some Gaiam Gaucho pants – stretchy, resilient, NOT the tshirt material ones but made from a bit stiffer cotton with some lycra in it so they keep their shape. Put ’em with a white button shirt and some Dansko Marcelles and I’m set to go.

I love dickies, but I think I would melt in a pair of black dickies in the sun all day. I agree with you though, they’re wonderful. Maybe for winter jobs. 😛

[Curious]

damn you millera9 i have said repeatedly that i wasn’t buying any more photo stuff.

monkeybort what i had in mind was a close up of the ring(s) and a suitable photo of the happy couple and combining the two in PS. use the ring as a border/frame and the happy couple ™ as an insert.

yes i know what you are talking about with your style but i was thinking long term when you are making your living as a photographer and have to eat. the only (very few) photographers i’ve know have either been 1)on staff and moonlighting to be creative 2)just getting started and wanting to maintain their style and working non photo to eat 3)working folks who do whatever sells.

just as an aside: our staff guy got sick one day and we had to get the shots so hired a local photographer. we’re on location and he starts with: “now as i see it the model is here and then …..” our VP for advertising told him in no uncertain terms that he would be shooting from point A, framed as B and no original thought was expected. he did make the whole day but never worked for us again although that may well have been a mutual decision.

my sister took a sabbatical from teaching and worked for a complete hack. she hated it. but the guy was successful enough to hire an assistant. had you seen his work you would have to wonder how.

[caradoc]

I love dickies, but I think I would melt in a pair of black dickies in the sun all day. I agree with you though, they’re wonderful. Maybe for winter jobs. 😛

Um… I’m in Arizona. It’s noonish, and 100 degrees in my carport.

I’m actually more comfortable in a dress shirt with a white cotton undershirt and a pair of Dickies than I am in shorts and a tank top. Wicking is good.

[monkeybort]

heh, I bow to your fortitude. I have sworn to not set foot in AZ again after an ill-advised trip over the 4th of July to Phoenix.

Curious – ah, I see. I have also worked for a hack, hated it, and wondered how he made ANY money. I figured out it came down to self-promotion – he pimped himself at every opportunity (he was a wildlife/fishing photog though, not wedding).

Call me naive, but I would rather continue to work as an acc’t to pay the bills and not compromise my style and artistic ethics than sell out & do glowy bride portraits or selective color a bouquet. so i guess put me in category #2.

advertising/product shots are a completely different story – the art director sets it up, you (maybe) offer some lighting input, you shoot what they want and away you go. they have hired you to shoot their setup how they want it and everyone knows that from the get-go. weddings – yes, it is their day, but they’ve hired you to document it how you see it and interpret it.

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