Single flash portraits

[Uncle Frank]

I've been practicing with the 28-70/2.8 for the wedding I'll be shooting next weekend. Since I need to be mobile at the reception, I've been trying to refine my technique with the SB800 mounted on camera. Here's a few from tonight.













--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[hollywoodtennis]

Uncle Frank,

I really like your portraits. Just from looking at them I get the feeling that I know these people.You've really conveyed the humaness (if that's a word) of your subjects. Could you give me your opinion of the kit lens for portraiture, and maybe recomend another. I'm shooting my first wedding in June and could use some tips. Thanks, Jeff

 

[Uncle Frank]

Thanks for the kind critique, Jeff!

Could you give me your opinion of the kit lens for portraiture, and maybe recomend another. I'm shooting my first wedding in June and could use some tips.

The kit lens should do just fine. Its zoom range goes up to the ideal portrait length, and it gives you the option of going wide for groups. It's a fast (AF-S) focuser, and produces colorful and contrasty results. Its only shortfall is in aperture wideness, but if you learn to work with a flash, that shouldn't be a problem. I'd stongly recommend the sb800, as it works seamlessly with the lens and the d70.

If you're looking for faster glass, the Tamron 28-75/2.8 is highly regarded, and very affordable. Its constant f/2.8 would be an advantage for low light shots, and it's sharp as a tack. The only drawbacks are that it doesn't focus as quickly as the 18-70, and doesn't produce the same pure colors as the Nikons.

And if you get obsessed, as I have, the Nikon 28-70/2.8 is regarded as the pick of the litter for wedding work... a Mission Critical lens. Its only drawbacks are size and price.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[FJBrad]

Hey Frank,
It's been a while. Migrated over from Nikon Talk.

I really like the expressions you captured and also composition and exposure balance.

Are you be jellin yet? I know the SB800 has some filters with it, and some of your shots look like ambient tungsten in the BG is giving a cast to the shots ( could be my monitor too, I spose (Pbook)).

I would think a red or red/yellar in combination on the flash and then WB biased for tungsten might neutralize some of the BG cast.
--
Brad
Love plants, don't eat them
Give peas a chance

 

[Uncle Frank]

Are you be jellin yet? I would think a red or red/yellar in combination on the flash and then WB biased for tungsten might neutralize some of the BG cast.

I haven't tried that yet, Brad. Just one more hole in my technique that I'm going to have to fill someday. I've concentrated on color balancing for the skin tones, and have carefully ignored the backgrounds :- .

Good to see you over here . How are you liking the slr experience?

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[PhotonJeff]

Very nice photos Frank! I always enjoy seeing your work.

Can you give us some more details on your technique? I'm wondering if you're using the diffusion cover or bouncing off the ceiling.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[FJBrad]

Are you be jellin yet? I would think a red or red/yellar in combination on the flash and then WB biased for tungsten might neutralize some of the BG cast.

I haven't tried that yet, Brad. Just one more hole in my technique
that I'm going to have to fill someday. I've concentrated on color
balancing for the skin tones, and have carefully ignored the
backgrounds :- .

Good to see you over here . How are you liking the slr experience?

I am thoroughly stoked. The whole system is so well thought out. The kit lens is way mo betta then I thought it would be, and having also upgraded to CS, ACR is doing a good job on my NEFs. I also have NC, but it runs real slow on my laptop. I'll explore NC raw when I have some time to learn it.
Image quality and lowlight shooting are causing me to rethink a lot of shots.

I'm also very impressed with how well WB works under tough conditions in auto. This could be another benefit of having a color meter?

--
Brad
Love plants, don't eat them
Give peas a chance

 

[Uncle Frank]

Very nice photos Frank! I always enjoy seeing your work.

Thanks, Jeff . I like to post my experiments, warts and all, to give folks an idea of what they can expect from a particular lens, and to get feedback/suggestions from the more experienced shooters.

Can you give us some more details on your technique? I'm wondering
if you're using the diffusion cover or bouncing off the ceiling.

I'm hooked on the diffusion dome, and use it all the time. And I bounce all of my indoor shots.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[Jim Carr]

Hi Frank,

They all look good to me. The only thing I would recommend is using a shutter speed of at least 1/125.
Jim

 

[Uncle Frank]

They all look good to me. The only thing I would recommend is using
a shutter speed of at least 1/125.

Good suggestion, Jim. I think I have the minimum shutter for flash set at 1/60th right now. That probably accounts for some of the softness.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[Jim Carr]

I always shoot flash in manual mode and set the shutter to about 1/200. The thing you take into consideration is once the wedding freight train gets rolling the stress level jumps x10 which causes more camera shake. If you will be going from inside to outside alot, like when people are arriving etc., you can have the outside setting in AP mode at ISO 200 and inside with flash on manual at ISO 400. All you need to do is move the dial from A to M and spin the ISO and the settings are right there. If they make you turn off the flash during the ceremony, put on your new 85 1.8 (you got a working one now, right?) and run the ISO up to 1000-1600, very important remember to change the ISO back and turn the flash back on as soon as they come back down the aisle.
Good luck Frank, I hate weddings.
Jim

They all look good to me. The only thing I would recommend is using
a shutter speed of at least 1/125.

Good suggestion, Jim. I think I have the minimum shutter for flash
set at 1/60th right now. That probably accounts for some of the
softness.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[hollywoodtennis]

Thanks for the tips Uncle Frank. I will put them to good use. I have an old SB-12 that I inherited with an F-3 SLR. Do you know if it is possible to connect it to my D70? The hot shoe connections on the F-3 & D70 are quite different. Maybe a synch cable or some such device. Just thought I'd ask. Thanks, Jeff

 

[Uncle Frank]

Thanks for the tips Uncle Frank. I will put them to good use. I
have an old SB-12 that I inherited with an F-3 SLR. Do you know if
it is possible to connect it to my D70? The hot shoe connections on
the F-3 & D70 are quite different. Maybe a synch cable or some such
device. Just thought I'd ask. Thanks, Jeff

Sorry, but I have no idea. But even if it was, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the Creative Lighting Systems features that are built into the sb800, and they are very powerful.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon

 

[hollywoodtennis]

Guess I better look in my coffee can to see if I've got enough for the SB800! Jeff

 

[Ed]

All look good to me.