The Official Photography Thread - Vol. 3

[southcitydon]

I feel you fam. As I mentioned before, I spent a long time lurking this thread and seeing the dopeness that you, Dunks, Steezy and others were putting out on the regular is what inspired me to get out and get busy trying to learn this craft. I know exactly what you mean about being self critical as I do it all the time...constantly comparing my stuff to others that are so much better than I am. But the good thing about that is it pushes you to keep grindin'.

This thread is truly the best on the forum and full of talented, supportive and info-sharing posters. Stay focused, stay grindin and never get complacent. Nobody will ever be perfect but everybody can strive for perfection.

Thanks man. I hope I don't come off as some guy that thinks he underachieves to get sympathy. I mean I am satisfied with what I got and of course my friend is happy but I am more venting on the frustrations of the shoot and just things that you encounter in the experience of it all. I do all of this stuff pro bono but if I did this for money, I would feel so compelled to get every damn good shot that I can and when I don't, it just really is frustrating as a personal thing more so than a client thing. I think there are just so many battles in getting good stuff in these situations whether it be the lighting, the clients and their moods, the scheduling of the shoot (they were late which only gave me an hour and a half of shooting) and so much more. I just feel I can be better than this but when it comes to the shoot, I always seem to either forget things or feel rushed. Also I never seem to get that one great shot that you see in wedding stuff and I feel that has to be there in some sort of degree. Anyways......again, just venting and I just don't want to come off as this guy that is getting sympathy. I just beat myself up for the most part.

Solid stuff in here all around. Just as an FYI if people cared, when I went to the NT summit in SF this past couple of months, I was told that the mods do monitor this thread and they told me this is one of the only posts that just comes of as super positive and supportive. Glad this posts never turns into the East vs West battles and other nonsense on NT. Let's keep it that way.

 

[yanky]

Fong did you take any pics while at the summit?

 

[mjbetch]

I like the B&W. Good sharpness and contrast. Do you use the 23mm f/1.4 as well? I have it for my x-t1, but it rarely goes on it. Was honestly looking for something wider like the 18mm. Any recommendations?

Thank you. I did have the 23mm. One of my favorite X-Series lenses. I sold it because I had another 35mm equivalent at the time. That used to be the only lens I ever used at one point.
As for wide angle, I highly recommend the 16mm f/1.4. I absolutely love it. It's pretty sharp wide open too. 18mm was alright IMO, but I kept with the 18mm. I sold my 18mm pretty much a few weeks after I got it.

 

[Fong$tarr]

Fong did you take any pics while at the summit?

Just one of Retro Kid but I was told there would be a photographer but she didn't show up last minute. There are just the ones on IG under the summit hashtag.

 

[Nawzlew]

Fong you doubt yourself too much, you need to stop, your portrait work is solid, quite honestly better than most I've seen on this very thread.

this.

that shoot is a breath of fresh air.

i feel like too many photographers give their wedding photos a very warm, bright edit, which is fine.

but its a nice change

dope stuff fong

 

[dragicon]

Not a great shoot but good enough considering. Like I said, I give so much props to people that do this stuff. Very stressful and this was just for a friend. I got a lot of bad photos and mostly during the ceremony which can't be redone. This was the more posed stuff.




 

One thing that I really like about the photos is that the backgrounds are really good.  The symmetry is really good, with the people placed perfectly.  I also like that there aren't any crooked horizons or distorted views... those really bother me when I look at people's pictures, and these look great.  

 

[Fong$tarr]

One thing that I really like about the photos is that the backgrounds are really good.  The symmetry is really good, with the people placed perfectly.  I also like that there aren't any crooked horizons or distorted views... those really bother me when I look at people's pictures, and these look great.  

I'd be lying if I said that was all intentional because I do try to make sure all the horizon lines are straight but I did fix all of that in post. Like the one where they are kissing in front of the window, you'd have to have a pretty long lens to get that ting perfectly straight like that. I shot it with a 50mm and it did bend a tad from not being that far away, so I used a warp tool and just fixed it all accordingly. So if the lines in all those photos seem abnormally straight, it's cause I edited it that way. I did do a decent amount of cloning on every photo erasing lint, exist signs, skin issues etc but I always try and make things subtle where you would never know it's that touched up. She even had a cold sore and I had to fix her lips in every photo.

 

[dragicon]

 

One thing that I really like about the photos is that the backgrounds are really good.  The symmetry is really good, with the people placed perfectly.  I also like that there aren't any crooked horizons or distorted views... those really bother me when I look at people's pictures, and these look great.  

I'd be lying if I said that was all intentional because I do try to make sure all the horizon lines are straight but I did fix all of that in post. Like the one where they are kissing in front of the window, you'd have to have a pretty long lens to get that ting perfectly straight like that. I shot it with a 50mm and it did bend a tad from not being that far away, so I used a warp tool and just fixed it all accordingly. So if the lines in all those photos seem abnormally straight, it's cause I edited it that way. I did do a decent amount of cloning on every photo erasing lint, exist signs, skin issues etc but I always try and make things subtle where you would never know it's that touched up. She even had a cold sore and I had to fix her lips in every photo.

That doesn't bother me... everybody would have to do small adjustments, and anybody who says that pros or other great photographers are just flat out lying.  At least you took the time to correct the distortion and warp.... It makes a huge difference in the final product.  

 

[mylesp]

I love shooting film. I'm shooting more film than I am digital.

Definitely get a changing back. Those things make life so much easier than having to completely black a room. You can watch TV while you load your reels haha.

As far as tanks go, I have booth the steel reel and Patterson tanks. Patterson tanks are cool, but I found they became too big after a while and leaked a lot if you didn't used the agitating rod. I also hated the plastic reels for 35mm. I found them frustrating to load. I ended up just keeping the Patterson soley for 120/220 since it seems it's much easier to load.

I'm glad I finally mad the switch to steel reels. Wow are they so much easier to load and work with. Granted, they leak a bit, but everything leaks. You'll find the method that minimizes leaks the most. Not all steel reels are the same! Get a HEWES. Tank can be pretty much whatever, but make sure you get a Hewes reel. Haven't used steel reel for medium format, but for 35mm, I definitely prefer them over the plastic ones. Plastic ones aren't bad, they just caused me more frustration lol

For C-41, I use the Tetenal/Unicolor powder kit. B&H doesn't ship it anymore, but you can get some over here. This is a link for 2-liter, but 1-liter should be enough. http://www.freestylephoto.biz/101241-Unicolor-Powder-C-41-Film-Negative-Processing-Kit-2-Liter

It's extremely simple to do it at home! Make sure you get some film clips and some Photo Flo for your final rinse.

Thank you! I will definitely try out plastic in class to see if that's what I want before buying. I am ok with the steel reels, but it's a bit more finicky lol. Where should I hang my rolls to dry? I have this ikea clothing shelf that you can either hang stuff in or there's rods to put in to use as a shelf. I'm not using th is at the moment but maybe I can use it and hang stuff in it. What do you do though?

 

[mjbetch]

Thank you! I will definitely try out plastic in class to see if that's what I want before buying. I am ok with the steel reels, but it's a bit more finicky lol. Where should I hang my rolls to dry? I have this ikea clothing shelf that you can either hang stuff in or there's rods to put in to use as a shelf. I'm not using th is at the moment but maybe I can use it and hang stuff in it. What do you do though?

I know what you're talking about. I used to have that portable organizer or whatever it is haha. That actually seems like a perfect thing to use.

I just clip mine to a hanger and let it hang from my shower haha. You can get a tension rod and hang it wherever to be honest. I like the bathroom because I feel that's where the least dust is. Especially after a hot shower.

 

[romcadoo]

Beautiful emotion, man.

I've only been photographing people for 6 months now... but man do I want to get to your level :x :x

 

[danyosahn]

I was finally able to snap a picture of this monumental boat in person.

 

[dunksrnice]

^Not sure if that boat is still up or burned down. Heard rumors of it burned down or gone or still up.

--

Recent engagement work.



More on the blog.

IG - @dunksrnice
http://www.dunksrnice.net/2016/03/legion-of-honor-engagement-jessica-kevin.html

 

[danyosahn]

^Not sure if that boat is still up or burned down. Heard rumors of it burned down or gone or still up.

It's still there. That picture was from Tuesday.

 

[Fong$tarr]

I think most of the damage of that boat was done on the back. The front of it should be fine anyways. I drove by it on the way to Point Reyes 3 weeks back. It's way smaller in person and I thought was off on a different road and not behind building. Needless to say, it's sort of underwhelming when you see it considering how many people take photos of it.

 

[benssick]

Fong those wedding pictures look great... you should get into it more imo

My recents.

REAL DCGRAFFITI III by Benjamin F., on Flickr

EAST by Benjamin F., on Flickr


Untitled by Benjamin F., on Flickr 030916 by Benjamin F., on Flickr

Untitled by Benjamin F., on Flickr


Untitled by Benjamin F., on Flickr


NOT 4 NOTHING by Benjamin F., on Flickr

 

[ddh1122]

Oh, and for the guy who asked what the shutter count was on my refurb Nikon D3300, just used some sites and found out it's only 102. Which is GREAT according to what I read - basically brand new 

 

[iamdef]

Oh, and for the guy who asked what the shutter count was on my refurb Nikon D3300, just used some sites and found out it's only 102. Which is GREAT according to what I read - basically brand new 

If anybody tells you that's not fantastic they're lying to you. I've shot an example vent and took 600+ shots. That camera barely qualifies as "used" to me. Good job

 

[Nawzlew]

Oh, and for the guy who asked what the shutter count was on my refurb Nikon D3300, just used some sites and found out it's only 102. Which is GREAT according to what I read - basically brand new 

That's damn new brand new

 

[ksteezy]

Thanks man. I hope I don't come off as some guy that thinks he underachieves to get sympathy. I mean I am satisfied with what I got and of course my friend is happy but I am more venting on the frustrations of the shoot and just things that you encounter in the experience of it all. I do all of this stuff pro bono but if I did this for money, I would feel so compelled to get every damn good shot that I can and when I don't, it just really is frustrating as a personal thing more so than a client thing. I think there are just so many battles in getting good stuff in these situations whether it be the lighting, the clients and their moods, the scheduling of the shoot (they were late which only gave me an hour and a half of shooting) and so much more. I just feel I can be better than this but when it comes to the shoot, I always seem to either forget things or feel rushed. Also I never seem to get that one great shot that you see in wedding stuff and I feel that has to be there in some sort of degree. Anyways......again, just venting and I just don't want to come off as this guy that is getting sympathy. I just beat myself up for the most part.

Solid stuff in here all around. Just as an FYI if people cared, when I went to the NT summit in SF this past couple of months, I was told that the mods do monitor this thread and they told me this is one of the only posts that just comes of as super positive and supportive. Glad this posts never turns into the East vs West battles and other nonsense on NT. Let's keep it that way.

That's what happens when you do this for the passion and not the money, that's what sets us apart as photogs, I know plenty that could actually care less as long as they get paid and often times clients are so clueless thy are content with paying for **** work...we are not like them, it's a gift and a curse bro and it doesn't get any better, so stop working for free, your technique and photos as well as your editing is worth a price tag....know that you are not an editorial photographer and your clients will not be professional models, often times these are people that have never posed in front of a camera, learn a couple of go-to poses and let them be themselves....sometimes you will work magic, other times you won't be happy with the end result, but as long as your technique doesn't change you will deliver solid work, if the couple are two stiffs, you won't change that in photos...if the couple weighs a combined 600lbs you won't make them thinner in photos, sure you can work angles but they know the facts, YOU may not be happy with the end result, but that doesn't mean they won't love it....like I said not every client I shoot is a hit....STOP WORKING FOR FREE DAMN IT!

 

[eugenile gts]

Fong before you start charging and want more free practice hook me up with a free family session for my Xmas cards this year lol

srs though [emoji]128540[/emoji]

 

[iamdef]

nobody in here ought to be working for free, get paid people

 

[romcadoo]

nobody in here ought to be working for free, get paid people

 

[jodeva89]

for those of yall that do wedding/special occassion and portraiture work, did people reach out to you for your services after seeing your stuff on social media? or did you actively seek out opportunities to second shoot and get experience first? like contacting someone via facebook or email that you appreciated their work and wanted to learn/tag along with them (were they receptive to the idea, hesitant to accept, ignored, replied at all?) i guess my question is how have yall gotten your feet wet with more challenging opportunities. being self taught is cool but i think its valuable to learn in person alongside someone with experience too. i just think theres a different element and opportunity for learning with someone like a teacher or mentor whose brain you can pick on the fly.

 

[Nawzlew]

for those of yall that do wedding/special occassion and portraiture work, did people reach out to you for your services after seeing your stuff on social media? or did you actively seek out opportunities to second shoot and get experience first? like contacting someone via facebook or email that you appreciated their work and wanted to learn/tag along with them (were they receptive to the idea, hesitant to accept, ignored, replied at all?) i guess my question is how have yall gotten your feet wet with more challenging opportunities. being self taught is cool but i think its valuable to learn in person alongside someone with experience too. i just think theres a different element and opportunity for learning with someone like a teacher or mentor whose brain you can pick on the fly.

I've been trying to find wedding/engagement photographers to second shoot/assist. Hard though ...