Photography Thread

[Blueface]

I love crabs!!!

[DBall]

Dokk... your pic is awesome... I was commenting on cat pics in general (should've been more specific in my post). I have 2 cats and, since I got my camera) have taken TONS of pictures of them. Roughly 98% of them are out of focus or just plain look weird.

It just seems like there's something about shooting cats (especially my black one) that doesn't want to work right...

[The Professor]

Originally Posted by DBall

Dokk... your pic is awesome... I was commenting on cat pics in general (should've been more specific in my post). I have 2 cats and, since I got my camera) have taken TONS of pictures of them. Roughly 98% of them are out of focus or just plain look weird.

It just seems like there's something about shooting cats (especially my black one) that doesn't want to work right...

Oh ... I haven't gotten a good picture of my black dog yet. Black animals are hard without great lighting, I think. At least ... that's what I'm telling myself.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by The Professor

Oh ... I haven't gotten a good picture of my black dog yet. Black animals are hard without great lighting, I think. At least ... that's what I'm telling myself.

Not at all.
Choose a background that is on the lighter side rather than dark.
Use a good flash in the bounce mode with a good reflector such as Gary Fong's Light Diffuser. If you don't have that, you can always use a white cardboard, cut to fit on the back of your flash head and use a rubber band to hold it. This will allow light to go up and bounce back to the subject, creating a natural light effect while at the same time pushing some highlight to the subject via the white cardboard (you can use white paper taped to a piece of cardboard for strength).
Easy.

[The Professor]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Not at all.
Choose a background that is on the lighter side rather than dark.
Use a good flash in the bounce mode with a good reflector such as Gary Fong's Light Diffuser. If you don't have that, you can always use a white cardboard, cut to fit on the back of your flash head and use a rubber band to hold it. This will allow light to go up and bounce back to the subject, creating a natural light effect while at the same time pushing some highlight to the subject via the white cardboard (you can use white paper taped to a piece of cardboard for strength).
Easy.

Easy ... if you have a good flash.

That's next on the list.

[McSmokey]

started taking pics last night out of the box with my new D90 [my first dSLR straight off of film cameras].... haven't had time to d/l yet but I'm with you Dokk a good flash is the next item on the list

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by The Professor

Easy ... if you have a good flash.

That's next on the list.

Oops!

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by McSmokey

started taking pics last night out of the box with my new D90 [my first dSLR straight off of film cameras].... haven't had time to d/l yet but I'm with you Dokk a good flash is the next item on the list

You will certainly get away with the SB600 but I assure you, the extra money will be worthwhile to go for the SB800. As a former professional photographer, I guess I am biased as I have always carried more power than I need. That is the best way to go than to fall short.

[The Professor]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Oops!

Almost bought a flash today. Best Buy wouldn't match Amazon's price, though; so I passed.

[krevo]

My girlfriend bought me this print from a local photographer named Greg Davis (Austin, TX)

All credit goes to Greg on this.



Something about it just brings a smile to my face.

[McSmokey]

Originally Posted by Blueface

You will certainly get away with the SB600 but I assure you, the extra money will be worthwhile to go for the SB800. As a former professional photographer, I guess I am biased as I have always carried more power than I need. That is the best way to go than to fall short.

I can understand this the wife would have my head if photo quality fell short when our first baby gets here in a couple of weeks

[Wolfgang]

Just bought the 600 and it is amazing! The 800 can trigger other flashes remotely but so can your D90. I say go with the 600 and use the onboard flash on the D90 to trigger the 600 offcamera wirelessly.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

Just bought the 600 and it is amazing! The 800 can trigger other flashes remotely but so can your D90. I say go with the 600 and use the onboard flash on the D90 to trigger the 600 offcamera wirelessly.

The thing with the SB800 is not so much the remote trigger. I can live without that, specially since I own numerous GVI wireless remote slaves that I can use from my days in the business.
I recommend the SB800 purely for the additional power it provides. That power will not only come in handy when needing to throw more light forward but will also come in extremely handy for bounce lighting, which is 90% of the flash photography I do and would highly recommend all do.

Again, no doubt the SB600 is an awesome flash but I would call it a V6 on that Mustang when you can rev a V8. If budget is a concern, no doubt the SB600 is the better way to go and certainly is a very good flash.

Originally Posted by The Professor

Oh ... I haven't gotten a good picture of my black dog yet. Black animals are hard without great lighting, I think. At least ... that's what I'm telling myself.

Also, when exposing for dark items, your cameras meter will try to make the image more gray. For dark items, use exposure compensation down a little. For white subjects, the opposite applies. For example, for shooting in the snow, you really have to controll the exposure (overexpose) if you want the snow to be white and not 18% gray.

Does any of that make sense?

-Roland.

[Wolfgang]

Originally Posted by Blueface

The thing with the SB800 is not so much the remote trigger. I can live without that, specially since I own numerous GVI wireless remote slaves that I can use from my days in the business.
I recommend the SB800 purely for the additional power it provides. That power will not only come in handy when needing to throw more light forward but will also come in extremely handy for bounce lighting, which is 90% of the flash photography I do and would highly recommend all do.

Again, no doubt the SB600 is an awesome flash but I would call it a V6 on that Mustang when you can rev a V8. If budget is a concern, no doubt the SB600 is the better way to go and certainly is a very good flash.

The 800 does serve as a remote trigger but so does the onboard flash on the D90 so he can trigger either unit with just his camera. If you have the cash go bigger. I m with you Blue.

[McSmokey]

does the new SB900 pack the same punch as the 800 or did Nikon dumb it down? Asking because Amazon lists the 900 as the 800s replacement

[Wolfgang]

Roar of a Lion

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by McSmokey

does the new SB900 pack the same punch as the 800 or did Nikon dumb it down? Asking because Amazon lists the 900 as the 800s replacement

I haven't shopped in a while for them.
I could see a 900 now being out there as the replacement to the 800.
Seems when they came out with the D90, the D80 soon phased out.
Take a look at the rating on them for comparison.
If I have a chance, will dig it up and do a comparison.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang

Roar of a Lion

Great shot.

[Blueface]

SB900 Guide number:
34/111.5 (ISO 100, m/ft), 48/157.5 (ISO 200, m/ft)

SB800 Guide number:
38/125 (at 35mm) to 56/184 (at 105mm) (ISO 100, m/ft.)

SB600 Guide number:
30/98 (ISO 100, m/ft), 42/138 (ISO 200, m/ft) (at 35mm zoom-head position, 20 C/68 F)

Based on this, the 900 is a bit weaker than the 800. Seems it falls right in between the 600 and 800.