Basic equipment

Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Québec, Canada

Hi everybody ! I'm new here and of course I have many questions... but first I would like to know if the ''small'' equipment I have is enough to to my project. It is a portraiture project, indoor with only natural window light. I have circular reflector (gold/silver) , little white reflectors, tripod (but I don't like using it), Elan 7 camera with 28-90mm lens, soft focus filter. I'm using B/W C-41 process films. Should I get something else? or replacing something? Any suggestion ?

Thanks !

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:13 am

Hi
just learn to love your tripod... And have you got soemthing to fix your reflectors to? Some basic (and cheap) lightstands will do the job nicely. If you reduce yourself to using just the light from the window, I would also consider buying a fast lens, like a 1.4/50 mm or even better (for portraits) something in the 70 mm to 80 mm range. There are also soft foocus lenses available in thhat range, which will produce more pleasing results than a soft focus filter.

Other things depend fairly on the kind of protraits you want to take: completely naturally or more set-up or even glamour-style. In any case some make-up (and know-how how to use it to advantage or even better a friend who can act as a stylist) are indispensable. Also some props (hats, scarfs, coloured cloth, chair, stool whatever) are helpful.

You should also give the background some consideration.

If during the actual shoot you use a cable release to fire off your camera, you can talk to your subjects and make them feel more at ease.

so far my suggestions.

best regards
René

Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 684 Location: Minnesota

I agree with Rene about the tripod. You need to concentrate on getting the right pose and capturing that exact moment. Worrying about holding the camera still only adds to the project. I don't think you need to go out and buy a truckload of equipment if funds are short- just invest in your hobby a little at a time.

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 3:51 pm

Sure, of course your equipment is enough. Just make it work for you.

I will offer slightly different perspective from that expressed by René (with who I normally agree on just about everything).

Personally, I think 35mm and tripod are not the best of friends, one usually uses 35mm because of its mobility. Try moving around, experiment with a lot of angles and try framing your subject near and far and with as much creativity as possible. With 35mm you can try many totally different things very quickly.

Generally, you use medium and large format gear on a tripod when you have a model who is going to do the moving for you. You use 35mm when you are the one who has to do the moving to find the best perspective! 35mm is the hummingbird or wasp of photography, why not make that mobility work for you.

Note: I am just offering my own general feelings about it. I am fully aware that there are people who tripod-mount their 35mms and get all kinds of great stuff!

:) keithwms

edit:spelling

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:14 pm

keithwms wrote:

Sure, of course your equipment is enough. Just make it work for you.

I will offer slightly different perspective from that expressed by René (with who I normally agree on just about everything).

Personally, I think 35mm and tripod are not the best of friends, one usually uses 35mm because of its mobility. Try moving around, experiment with a lot of angles and try framing your subject near and far and with as much creativity as possible. With 35mm you can try many totally different things very quickly.

Generally, you use medium and large format gear on a tripod when you have a model who is going to do the moving for you. You use 35mm when you are the one who has to do the moving to find the best perspective! 35mm is the hummingbird or wasp of photography, why not make that mobility work for you.

Note: I am just offering my own general feelings about it. I am fully aware that there are people who tripod-mount their 35mms and get all kinds of great stuff!

Hi Keith

I won't object your "35 mm gear is for moving around" point of view. In general I would agree with that too. But I think in this special case two issues are clearly in favour of using the tripod:

1. Blueeyes wants to shoot available light - and this can be very dim from a single side window.

2. as it is a indoor location and clearly not a large studio, I personally would always opt for a well thought-out portrait situation. And posing like that puts strain on most people. If you put your camera on the tripod and release it during talking to your subject, they will feel more relaxed (compared to the standard situation, where the photographer dives behind his camera and a glass-eye is focused on the subject).

In limited space the possibilities for moving around with the camera are also very restricted and thus the basic advantage of the 35 mm camera is lost anyway.

But obviously this is totally dependend on ones personal style.

regards
René

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:18 am

I agree with everyone on making the tripod work for you.

However, the only other piece of equipment I would add would be the cable release for the Elan 7. This will cut down on camera vibration when snapping that special photograph.