NoBs Digital Dogbowl
The NoBs Digital Dogbowl Newsletter:
Keeping you up to date and informed on the latest, coolest, and outrageous happenings inside the world of NoBS Photo Success.
Loaded with Free photography tips, Photoshop tutorials, photo reviews,
and other totally relevant essentials. Be sure to check out the whole thing!
Hungry for more? Visit our digital photography forum.
October 2008 Digital Dogbowl
The Calm Before The Inferno
As Rob Provencher and James Hodgins prepare for the Inferno in Nashville, which has come upon us rather quickly, this month's newsletter will focus on the forum hot topics and other topics you may have missed for one reason or another. We've also got some great tutorials and cool vids for you to check out.
We're looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at the Inferno and hope to see you there!
If you can't make it, fear not as the NoBS Photo Success forum is loaded with information and wonderful, sharing members who are always at the ready to help you step up your game.
Rocktober NoBS Member and Photo of the Month
A hearty congratulations go out to NoBS member Ruth who image was chosen as the October Photo of the Month. She also garnered the Member of the Month with this accomplishment.
Photo of the Month
Off Camera Flash
There are many ways to separate yourself from the pack. One of these is to expand your lighting repertoire. Off camera flash has always been vital to wedding photography, but with lifestyle, senior, and environmental photography at the height of its popularity, learning OCF has never been more important.
Why use OCF? For one thing it gives you much needed flexibility in difficult lighting situations such as shooting at midday when the sun is at its strongest and you don't want your subject squinting. Used properly, it helps shape and give definition to the subject's face. It also helps even out patchy lighting and makes the subject pop out of an otherwise dull lighting situation. It makes the blue sky jump out behind your subject. It can create drama in your image and evoke emotion.
What equipment should you get? Well, as James and Rob have shown us, you don't need to break the bank buying lighting equipment. A rather strong flash unit such as the Vivitar 285HV will do the trick. You will also need a reliable way to trigger your flash from the camera. Several options are available such as radio slaves, infrared transmitters, and optic slaves. How do you choose what to get? Well, the first thing you need to determine is how and in what setting you will be using OCF. For weddings, radio transmitters are ideal as guests will be taking plenty of flash pictures that could set your own lights off at an inopportune moment, especially if you are using an optic slave. Optic and infrared slaves are perfectly fine for studio work and are especially economical.
If you are venturing into OCF for the first time, make sure to post on NoBS for CC and feedback. NoBS members who are venturing into and challenging themselves with OCF have been sharing their results and experiences in the hopes of improving their technique. Still not comfortable with it? James has quite a few videos in the Downloads demonstrating his technique.
If you have never tried it, the most important step you can make is just trying and practicing.
Quick Tutorial: Using a Two-Light Setup
If you've mastered a one-light setup, the next logical step is adding in another light to fill shadows. NoBS member, Shutterbug, started a thread looking for assistance with her two-light setup. Fellow NoBS member, magicmikey, posted a quick tutorial for light placement along with a helpful lighting diagram.
Here's what he had to say:
"It sounds like you're trying to use the softbox as a kicker light but you really need to use a fill light or a reflector for fill.
My typical set up is to have the Softliter II in the same position as you have and then have my fill (I use an umbrella but you can use your soft box) directly behind me and above. This will fill in the shadows a little.
The shadow on the lady is being caused by her son. You can raise the Softliter a little higher and that will alleviate some of the shadow or move the Softliter closer to the camera position (more in front).
As you mentioned, the other thing you need to do is move them further from the background but I understand you are limited in space. (That's why I use a gymnasium I have at my access for my studio work!)
Hope this helps.
Michael
P.S. I just noticed your other comments. Yes, you want your main light (Softliter II) coming from higher position even if your subject is 6' tall."
To see magicmikey's lighting diagram go here.
Special d|h Announcements - Inferno Special
Undoubtedly, many NoBS members have heard of and experienced the design|house monkeys. A few members have also enjoyed great success with these feisty digital primates. In honor of the upcoming NoBS Nashville Inferno, NoBS moderator and design|house creator Andy Armstrong has some exciting news and an amazing special for the NoBS Inferno.
Wanna know what he's got going on? The only way to find out is to follow the links to his design|house NoBS Newsletter Companion.
An Opportunity For Change
NoBS member, Bruce, excitedly shared news recently that might make the average person a bit nervous especially in these dismal economic times. He was recently laid off from his job as an engineer. But, as you will see from his post, he is bursting at the seams with excitement because of the new possibilities open to him and his wife, also a NoBS member, now that they can fully concentrate on their photography business.
"Yep, that is right - I am free of big corporation.
This engineer was laid off today. Happened this morning at 11. I was cleaning my desk early this morning, getting ready for the work week and I was going for my normal weekly meeting with my boss and the HR guy was in his office. Never talked to this guy before so I knew what that meant. This was a new boss and I had a HUGE bullseye on my back since the day this guy walked in.
Oh well - this is a sign from the person looking down on us, I think its Michael Jordan, or one of those other tall guys, that I should stick my nose to the grinding stone and be a photographer.
Lately we have been very busy trying to keep up with the seniors, ramp up our weddings booked in 2009 and other things that I was looking forward to the Inferno for a BREAK. Well it came 2 weeks before that.
If you got this far in the rant - thank you for reading.
Now on to bigger and better things. You will notice that my postings (under Nicole's name) will increase, and I will be out there trying new and exciting things.
CAN'T WAIT for Steve and Shelley's Sunday course - this will be the inspiration that we will need to grab all of the local seniors for ourselves - or at least the ones that want the cool images that we have been producing lately.
Stop reading - get back to posting!!
Bruce.
Job? What job? "
Proofs: Is There A Right Number?
The number of proofs you present to a client will vary widely by the type of job you were hired to do. Is there a correct number across the board? There is no right or wrong answer. NoBS members posted their averages and they ranged from 300 to 700 final images for weddings. As one member stated, the most important thing to be concerned about is that the images are well rounded and representative of the event.
October Monthly Success Interview
Ever wonder what it's like to be a dog photographer? Wonder no more. This month, Rob brings us an interview with NoBS' very own canine 'tog, Julie Poole.
To hear her riveting story, click here.
Focusing Issues
Many variables can contribute to a seemingly focused image not looking so sharp in final post. Among possible problems can be slight movement, use of a wide aperture, slow shutter speed, and the subjects (if there is more than one) not being on the same plane with each other, and the focal length of the lens. A recent thread on the NoBS forum addressed this issue and possible reasons the member had focus issues. From this discussion came a useful resource, DOF Master, which allows the user to enter in such things as camera model, focal length, distance, and desired f/stop to find out just how much depth of field is available at those settings.
Back in September, NoBS member, Improv, opened a discussion regarding the sale of digital files. Some thought-provoking arguments were made both pro and con.
A very compelling new tool is available on the web which may prove to be invaluable for photographers whose work is being illegally reproduced and posted on the web. The website is TinEye and is currently in beta.
Getting started is simple and it's free. Sign up for an account and you can upload a small file and have it search the web to see where that image is appearing.
Rob recently posted some video as well as an image of his setup for his Elizabeth Arden-Sears Glamour Makeover Shoot.
To see Rob at work as well as the setup, click here.
Feeling Blue?
Ok, so we're not talking about being emotional. In a recent post, a member received a decidedly unreasonable request to be like Mother Nature and make the blue sky bluer in a family shot. A couple of good suggestions were given to do just that. To learn those tricks, click this.
For the open forum at the Inferno. If you have any photography-related questions/topics that need some attention, please post them on Riff's thread.
Here is the link.
The more questions the better so that everyone learns!
Have you called the NoBS Hooray Line yet?? You should! This is your chance to share with other NoBS members your good news, experiences, and any other exciting news. You can find the number here.
Did you know that you can go online to register your images for copyright protection? It's true. Just go to U.S. Copyright Office online. It's faster and cheaper than filing paperwork.
If you've been primarily lurking on NoBS or even if you just signed up, have you posted any of your images for critique yet? If not, you are missing a golden opportunity to learn. By listening to critique from our peers, we end up taking away a valuable nugget of information on how to improve the image or perhaps a technique. It's invaluable especially if you are not able to attend seminars or classes. NoBS members are famous for being able to critique respectfully, so don't be afraid. Here's a thread recently started by a new member with her first post. Be forewarned that you may find it addictive once you start ;)
Remember When
The NoBS newsletter looked like this? We've come a long way, baby! But there is always room for growth. If there is something you'd like to see in the newsletter, give us a shout and let us know!
Thanks to AC and a few other members for sharing some fun facts and trivia about Nashville. There's gonna be a test at the Inferno, so make sure you study! Ok, maybe not, but you never know ;)
Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have transformed how photographers market their business. But has it been for better or worse? In this thread, members discuss the pros and the cons of participating.