Nice Legs!!

I mentioned in my post yesterday one piece of kit any photographer needs is a good set of legs ... I mean a good tripod. Like most things in photography the type of photos you take will point you to the right tripod for your needs. However, one bit of advice, don't be cheap. A good tripod will last for years and will help turn average images into much better photos. This is completely subjective, but expect to pay $250 or more for a full tripod.

If you take low light photography, macro or portrait photography I think a tripod is a must. Really, the only photo setting where I have not used a tripod is when I am doing my hand held street photography.

The 2 key advantages in my book to using a good tripod is 1) image sharpness is improved and 2) you can take lower ISO images in low light. To take tack sharp photos at night or in low light settings, or whenever you need to slow down your shutter speed below 1/50 of a second and don't want blur use a tripod. I've read that you can do away with a tripod if you have an uber fast lens or a good piece of glass with VR (i.e. Nikkor's 18-200mm VR). However, in my experience with low ISO even with fast glass or VR a tripod adds sharpness.

One hint, if you use a lens with vibration reduction (VR) on a tripod, turn off the VR.

I used to have a really inexpensive tripod that weighed a ton. Sure it worked, but man was it a pain. It took forever to set up and tended to drift with anything other than a prime lens mounted on my camera. It was useless and was just stupid (note, "stupid" is not a technical photographic term). I ultimately threw it away. I replaced it with a moderately priced (all in less than $300) Manfrotto component tripod. I purchased the legs and heads seperately. I would recommend that you purchase the legs seperately from the head like I did because it gives you more flexibility to select the head that matches your shooting style. Also if you need to replace a head you don't need to pitch the legs.

I purchased a Manfrotto 190XProB leg set. This is a very light weight black finished aluminum set of legs. The legs adjust with quick locking clamps and have friction tension at the head joint. It weighs almost nothing, is extremely portable, quick to set up, and handles ALL of my existing lenses up to a Tamron F/2.8 70-200mm lens. The legs can basically be set in any configuration.



Also after research and the advice of Roberts Camera I purchased 2 heads. I bought a heavy duty Manfrotto 804RC2 Basic Pan Tilt 3 way photo head. This head is used almost exclusively when I'm out at night or taking a set shot where I don't need to pan or move the camera very quickly or where I want precise settings. It's very sturdy.



For everyday use I purchased a Manfrotto 486RC2 basic ball head. This is a light weight head, and while it works fine, I'm not convinced it's right for my use. It handles all my lens, but it's a bit of a pain to adjust precisely. Also, you need to keep your hand on your lens or camera when loosing the adjustment nob. When you loosen the adjustment knob your camera free floats. Unless you have your hand on your camera or lens it will fall forward to the stops. Not very handy. However, for quick action (i.e. sports) or when you want to pan it works fine. I would rate it a solid 6 out of 10 for my use.



I keep this head on my tripod as a default. I change out to the 3-way head if I know I'm going to need precise settings. However, in hindsight I probably should have purchased a Manfrotto 322RC2, Heavy Duty Grip ball head instead of the 486RC2. This head has a handle with a quick release hand trigger. I've tried this a few times in my local photo shop and it would suit me better. Again, where did I leave that Christmas list?



Bottomline, I'm real happy with the Manfrotto kit, and I'm sure you will find there are other manufactures that make fine equipment and other Manfrotto leg / heads that will suit your specific needs. However, remember my caveat, leave your $50 WalMart tripod at home and get yourself a nice set of legs. I take mine with me all the time and they are always in the truck of my car.

If you want to check out the specs of the tripod go to www.manfrotto.com You'll find everything you need. BTW, I purchased my tripod and got good advice at the good folks at Roberts Camera in downtown Indianapolis.

OK, don't sit there reading this blog, pick up your camera, run outside and take some photos. I do!

After Dark Decisions

As you might have noticed from some of my earlier posts I enjoy going out after dark for late night photoshoots. The night brings our all types of images and photo opportunities that you don't see during the day. I've also found the colors generated from ambient light are very intense. Anyway, there's no one around to bug me, which is another benefit.

However, unlike taking photos during the day, shooting at night poses unique challenges. The lack of light and / or the excessive amount of ambient light (i.e. street lights) can make for some difficult decisions. You can get around the low light issue though a number of solutions, or combination of several. The ones I read and see most people (including yours truely) using are:

• Tripod
• Flash photography
• Auto ISO
• High ISO setting
• Slow shutter speeds
• Very fast lenses (with or without VR)
• Photoshop

I went to downtown Indianapolis this past Saturday (night before the Indianapolis 500 so the downtown was HOPPING) with the goal to take multiple nighttime shots using multiple techniques. Wanted to see what works best, and of course impart upon you - my loyal readers, some tips.

First, a few comments. I am by no means an expert at photography (speaking the obvious), and my equipment is advanced amateur only, but through practice I've been able to capture some really nice images. The key is taking lots of shots testing out multiple settings. You'll ultimately find what works best for you. I think the key is to get at least 1 fast lens (F2.8 or faster) and a good tripod. My secondary recommendation is a good flash unit, although that really depends on the type of shot you want to take. I take lots of motion blur shots and a flash is not needed for this. Want to be a paparazzi, get nice flash.

The first shot was near downtown on Washington Street.

I used a tripod for this shot. For really excellent after dark photography this is your number one friend. You can subsitute the tripod with a uber fast lens with VR (vibration reduction), but your wallet will be much lighter. Don't scrimpt on the tripod. Get a good one. I use a high-quality Manfrotto leg / ball-head combination. More on tripods in a later post.

Camera settings were F/10 (to get depth of field), ISO 100 (to minimize noise), 3 second exposure, Apeture priority & spot metering. I used a Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 lens (see earlier post), a manual cable release, and of course my tripod.

The goal of this shot was to take advantage of the ambient light behind me and over the building. I set my ISO as low as my Nikon D200 would go to minimize noise. I don't think this shot would have been possible without the tripod, slow shutter speed and low ISO. Notice how the colors are very rich and the details tack sharp.

The next shot was without a tripod. I wanted to take a few shots of people walking around town. To do this and avoid motion blur I had to either use flash or high ISO. This photo was of a young lady getting ready to head into a club.

On this shot I set my ISO at 400 and F-stop at F2.8. The larger apeture allowed me to blur the background and get the shot down to 1/45 of a second. Even with this setting I had to boost the levels a tad post processing using Photoshop (I have the older CS version).

The only ambient lighting was from street lights and lights from the club behind me. One note, I did ask if I could take her picture since I didn't want to come off like some kind of late night creep, and she just smiled. I guess that meant it was OK for me to shoot her picture.

I used a Tamron F/2.8 70-200mm lens with Apeture priority and Pattern metering. I took a few extra shots of others walking by with slower speeds and I picked up motion blur. One note, even at ISO 400 I was picking up lots of noise. It would be very hard to blow this picture up or crop it down much without the noise ruining the shot. I understand the higher end Nikons have this little problem (high ISO/low noise) solved. OK, where did I put my Christmas list?

So photo # 2, medium to high ISO, hand held, fast lens and speed just fast enough to avoid motion blur ... and of course, the gentle kiss of Photoshop.

Finally, I whipped out my trusty Nikon SB-600 flash (I know I should break down and get an SB-800 or 900, but remember I do this as a hobby and this is an expensive hobby). I also used my LumiQuest ProMax flash bounce. This time I wanted to take a few shows with higher ISO, faster speed and a flash unit.

This shot of 3 young ladies waiting outside of an Indianapolis 500 party was a good mix of flash photography, low ISO, a fast lens. All without a tripod.

The nice thing about using a flash unit is you can easily focus light and attention on your subject. By using a bounce flash unit with a defuser it avoids flash burns and red eye. No annoying blown out spots on the tips of these young ladies noses or cheeks. If I had used a flash without the LumiQuest (or similar bounce or defuser) this wouldn't have been possible. Also, we were outside on the street so there was no ceiling to bounce the flash off, so I had a defuser over my LumiQuest and the flash unit was straight on. I think it worked out well.

I was using my F/2.8 70-200mm lens at 70 mm. Apeture was set at 5.6 with ISO at 200. I manually set the speed at 1/60 of a second. I used Pattern metering. The combination allowed me to take a nice late night photo without post processing except cropping.

Photos after dark are enjoyable. However, they take practice. Try to avoid auto-ISO if you can. This is a personal preference since I find it creates way too much noice on my camera. I would recommend you get a good tripod and if the situation permits keep your ISO as low as possible. Get yourself a fast lens. A good 50mm F/1.8 is perfect for this and can be yours for under $250, or get yourself a nice flash unit.

Bottomline, practice, practice, practice. Pick up your camera, kiss your sweety goodnight and head out late at night and take some pictures. I do!

F/2.8 At Night

I decided to run downtown and take a few shots with my new Tamron SP AF 28-75mm F/2.8 lens. I described the lens in an earlier post. This is the lens I now keep on my camera versus my Nikkor 18-135mm F/3.5-5.6 G standard zoom. Thought I would give you a run down on how the lens works during a night photoshoot.

There are compromises with this lens versus its Nikkor closest cousin the AF-S 24-70 F/2.8 G ED. The one compromise is focus speed. A caveat is this was a night photoshoot so lower light often translates to slower or more challenging focusing. Even with this caveat I feel the Tamron focuses slower than all of my Nikkor lenses. Also it has a bit of an annoying sound when it focus. OK, OK, I'm nit-picking. Even with these compromises I like the Tamron as its good value for money. Remember my earlier post that cost was one of my purchasing decisions when I decided to buy this fast lens. I'll give the lens a good workout in full daylight and flash settings to see if the focus issue is across the board. I know, I can't wait either !!

All of the shots taken tonight used my tripod.

I shot a number of images through the entire 28-75mm zoom range, different apetures, and speeds. The lens worked well in all settings. All images were crisp (only out of focus or blurry when I purposely set the speed slow). The lens is smooth when adjusting focal lengths with no sticking. The zoom ring is well placed and wide enough so you don't need to look at the lens to see if you have the ring in hand. I was able to take much faster shots due to the wide F/2.8 apeture. Also, I was able to use my lowest ISO setting throughout the photoshoot, both due to the wide apeture, but also the tripod ... OK mainly due to the tripod, but the F/2.8 definitely helps.

Oh yes, one other annoying thing...I hate the Tamron lens cap. Its shaped weird, and tends to pop out of my fingers. The Nikkor style cap is uber better. I might buy a Nikkor cap as a replacement and just put some black electical tape over the name.

One other thing, I promise this is the last "other thing". It's not directly related to this lens, but I'm surprised how much value having a lens (especially in DX mode) go down to 18mm adds. Especially when you are only toting one lens like I did tonight. That extra 10mm really makes for a more flexible photoshoot. Size DOES matter.

This image was shot in apeture priority. F/9 to get deep DOF, ISO 100 and Mr. Tamron set at 40mm. Speed was 1/40 of a second.



This shot was also at apeture priority, 1/10 of a second, F/7, ISO at 100 and the lens at the end of the zoom range of 75mm. I purposely shot with motion blur. Image was converted to B&W post processing.

Overall, I give my Tamron an 8 out of 10 for night photoshoots.

Get up, get going its time to pick up your camera and shoot some pictures. I do !

A Different Perspective

Straight on shots can be boring. Portraits, very acceptable. Family picture, A-OK. Picture of the dog, cool. BUT, I like street scene photoshoots, motion blur and trying to capture images from different perspectives (angle that the photo is shot).

Most photo articles and instructors will stress that images can be more interesting if you bend the rules of perspective. Instead of taking a landscape shot with the horizon in the middle of the photo, move it up to the top 1/3 of the image, or the bottom 1/3. Or, better yet tilt the horizon. Street shots can be done the same way. Often the effect is interesting.

I tried this the other day at a show at Moria. I shot The Sorely Trying Days and Prizzy Prizzy Please. A couple of Indie bands. Nice beat.

In the shot of Prizzy Prizzy Please I was standing on a chair shooting down (risking my health and camera since people were dancing and bumping into me...I was thinking to myself if I get knocked off the chair how do I land so I don't break my camera?). I purposely tried to get just a glimps of the band. Here we go:




One of the goals of the image was to try to draw your eye away from the center. Note, I also converted this to B&W, but more on that in a later post.

The next shot was up close and personal with the lead singer of The Sorely Trying Days. This guy really had it going on. I got down on my knees and shot straight up. It took a few minutes for my old bones to get back up, but I like the effect. Much more interesting than if I was face on with him.



BTW, I took both images with a Nikon D200, Manual setting, white balance set to flash, f8, with a Tokina SD 12-24mm F4 IF DX lens. ISO set to 200. Nikon SB-600 flash unit, camera mounted, but with a Lumiquest Ultra Soft kit.

The moral of the photography story, try something different. Shoot that flower at grown level versus from above, shoot down on your subject for a portrait. Mix it up, I'm sure it will give you an interesting image.

Bottomline, grab your camera and shoot away. I do!

Hip Guys and Gals Only

My older son runs a local club called Moria (Khazad-dûm) located in Indianapolis. It focuses on Indie bands, ska, hardcore, punk. You get the idea. Well, he invited me over this past weekend to do a photoshoot for the latest show. Come on, how could I pass up this opportunity to try out my new lenses and Lumiquest softbox. I packed up my kit and headed over.

OK, let me set the scene for you. I love all types of music and feel fairly comfortable mingling with all types of crowds, but at this gig I drew more than a few stares. Hey, who's the old guy lugging the camera equipment. I got a bit of a pass because several of the young adults recognized me through my son ... but still.

Anyway I set up my equipment and flash units and joined in. I learned very quickly the one piece of kit I brought was extremely important .... ear plugs. I really enjoy this type of music. Hey, I like Elvis, Beatles, Metallica, Aerosmith, Classical, etc., but also Tool, Gorillaz, Bolth, and now a few others. Tonights lineup included Prizzy Prizzy Please, Screaming Females, The Sorely Trying Days, and Richard Cranium. Wow. the beat was hot, and so was the club ... I was sweating like a pig after a few minutes.

I was set up when the second act started, The Sorely Trying Days, and it became obvious very quickly the young crowd was not going to part ways to allow me to get close to the band to take photos. Note to self, arrange in advance to get next to the stage. This is a basement type club so there wasn't lots of room to move or squeeze through the crowd once the beat started rolling. My first series of shots consisted mainly of photos of the crowd and a few shots while standing on a ladder.

The next set with the Screaming Females, I talked to the band early and they said it would be OK if I came up close. Unfortunately, that meant standing next to the speaker. My right ear is running at half capacity now, even though I was wearing industrial strength earplugs.

I gave one up for the team and got some nice shots, both using flash photography, and a few using motion blur. I used a manual setting on my Nikon D200, F/8, Flash WB, and speed from 1/2 second to 1/60 of a second. ISO was set at 200. Most of the time I was using my Tokina 12-24mm wide angle lens. A nice lens.

For the last group I stood off on one side standing on a chair shooting down on both the band and the crowd. I had lots of good shots of the crowd moving with the beat and the band getting into it. It was great fun, and a photo rich environment.

Possibly, the club will let me come back again and take more shots. I'll be giving them my images so they can upload a few of the good ones to their Facebook page. Overall a good night with several really excellent indie bands and a nice local club.

Here are a couple of shots of the Screaming Females from New Brunswick, NJ

Go ahead, grab your camera and shoot away ... I do!!

Portrait Photoshoot with Mr. F/2.8 70-200mm

I had the opportunity to score a two-fer tonight. This evening at our local photo club I had a chance to use my new Tamron F/2.8 70-200mm lens during a portrait photoshoot. Not only did I get to workout my new lens, but I also borrowed one of my clubmate's PocketWizard Multimax transceiver flash triggers .... SWEET! I have never used a PocketWizard instead relying on my Nikon's built in Commander mode to trigger my flashes. Here's the PocketWizard.



The photoshoot used 3 flash units in softboxes. One on each side of our model, and one on the ground behind the model pointing slightly up.

This series of portraits used the same setting on my Nikon D200. I was in Manual mode with F/11, ISO 200, and 1/100 of a second. White balance was manually set at 5300K.



This portrait was shot at 70mm. The effects caused by the 2 softbox flashes was to give gentle light full face, and darken out our model's hair and background.

This portrait was shot at 90mm.

My general takeaways from the photoshoot were:

1. I need lots-o-practice working on portrait photography,


2. Its really amazing to work with a model who knows what's she's doing,


3. The Tamron lens is 8 out of 10 after it's first hard workout. The only issue I had was the AF seemed a bit sluggish occasionally. Other than that I like it. (One lady at the photoshoot came up to me and said she had lens envy ... made my night)


4. I like the PocketWizard, especially with a higher end flash unit (i.e. SB-800 or 900). The only downside is that they are uber expensive. Did I mention this is an expensive hobby!

Grab your camera and take pictures....I do!