Gear Fear
Trying to get the best image possible not only takes time, patience, know-how, etc...it also takes gear. Since light is everything, many times a photographer will need to at least supplement natural light with some kind of artificial light. The possibilities are endless, seriously.
That said, it's sometimes hard for me to "work" with all of the gear that is actually called for because I'm actually a tad afraid that someone's going to think that I'm trying to look like some kind of pro or whatever. [I'm sitting here laughing at myself.] Take Mattie's birthday party as an example.
The lighting was horrible. The place was very dimly lit...lots of shadows. Why is that a problem? Well, it's like this. When you've got dim light you've got to either augment the existing light (on- or off-camera flash or flashes) or use a faster lens that allows more light to reach the sensor in your camera. A faster lens is my preferred option but then you're talking about a big expense (most suited to this task are over the $1,000 mark...some closer to $2k).
Enter flash photography. Lots of other questions here. What kind to use...built-in or external hot-shoe seated flash? To diffuse or not diffuse. Bounce or direct. Then the "look" problem. If I were to have used the gear that I have which is most well-suited to that situation I would have been holding a seriously big rig. I've got a portrait grip on my Nikon D80 which adds bulk to the body (great for my big hands), allows me to use two batteries (also great when shooting a lot and using vibration reduction lenses), and allows me to shoot in portrait mode-or vertical- without contorting my arms. So picture a bigger camera body with a not-so-small Nikon SB-600 flash mounted on the hot shoe, with a Gary Fong lightsphere diffuser mounted on top of that.
If you can't picture all of that stuff in your mind, just think big. But again, that would have yielded the best pictures possible given the gear that I have. Honestly I just don't want people to think that I see myself as better than I am or whatever. The real reason I'm posting all of this, though, is because I came across a picture a couple of days ago that put all of my thoughts at ease. After seeing this picture, I realize that I should be using all of my gear with pride...knowing that even if I were to throw everything I have onto my camera body I'd look nowhere near as crazy as this guy does. Check out this monstrosity!
So, if you're ever in a situation where you see me with a 2' tall camera rig, just know (1) that I'm only doing it because I feel that it will yield the best results with the gear that I've got for that particular situation and (2) that no matter what I look like it is nowhere near as crazy as the dude with the monster 4-light setup!!!!
That said, it's sometimes hard for me to "work" with all of the gear that is actually called for because I'm actually a tad afraid that someone's going to think that I'm trying to look like some kind of pro or whatever. [I'm sitting here laughing at myself.] Take Mattie's birthday party as an example.
The lighting was horrible. The place was very dimly lit...lots of shadows. Why is that a problem? Well, it's like this. When you've got dim light you've got to either augment the existing light (on- or off-camera flash or flashes) or use a faster lens that allows more light to reach the sensor in your camera. A faster lens is my preferred option but then you're talking about a big expense (most suited to this task are over the $1,000 mark...some closer to $2k).
Enter flash photography. Lots of other questions here. What kind to use...built-in or external hot-shoe seated flash? To diffuse or not diffuse. Bounce or direct. Then the "look" problem. If I were to have used the gear that I have which is most well-suited to that situation I would have been holding a seriously big rig. I've got a portrait grip on my Nikon D80 which adds bulk to the body (great for my big hands), allows me to use two batteries (also great when shooting a lot and using vibration reduction lenses), and allows me to shoot in portrait mode-or vertical- without contorting my arms. So picture a bigger camera body with a not-so-small Nikon SB-600 flash mounted on the hot shoe, with a Gary Fong lightsphere diffuser mounted on top of that.
If you can't picture all of that stuff in your mind, just think big. But again, that would have yielded the best pictures possible given the gear that I have. Honestly I just don't want people to think that I see myself as better than I am or whatever. The real reason I'm posting all of this, though, is because I came across a picture a couple of days ago that put all of my thoughts at ease. After seeing this picture, I realize that I should be using all of my gear with pride...knowing that even if I were to throw everything I have onto my camera body I'd look nowhere near as crazy as this guy does. Check out this monstrosity!
So, if you're ever in a situation where you see me with a 2' tall camera rig, just know (1) that I'm only doing it because I feel that it will yield the best results with the gear that I've got for that particular situation and (2) that no matter what I look like it is nowhere near as crazy as the dude with the monster 4-light setup!!!!
posted by Michael Shattuck at
8:01 AM
1 Comments:
Michael! Its been so great reading your blog! How do the kids like school?!
I am going to be in St. Louis this coming week and I would love to see you guys if possible! I know things are busy for you guys so dont worry about it if it wont work! Helen and I (did you ever meet her, shes my sister who is right over me in age) would love to come to wherever you are and just visit for a while! Let me know what you and Vicki are thinking!
Lots of blessings!
Roz
(roslyn.mary@gmail.com)
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