Humble beginnings (current camera setup)

Blog post #2!  Somebody stop meeh.  (Eventually I'll get tired of mentioning the blog post count...)

A new FB friend (Hi Court!) asked me:

"I have the same camera and my pics don't look as fabulous as yours. So I was wondering about your other equipment, like lenses and programs you use. And do u use a tripod or do u trust other people to take your pictures?"

Ready? Set. Go!

My favorite glass at the moment is my wide angle, Canon EF-S 10-22mm.  I use it for landscape and church shots...or anything that I want a wide view of.  I'd have to be careful because the lens distorts the subject around the edges of the picture...unless that's the look I'm looking for.

As for close up shots, like little bugs/bees/detail/wedding ring...anything macro, I have the Canon 100mm Macro IS L.  This is also good for portrait photography.  I have to take a several steps back if I want to fit the whole person's body in the picture.  But if I have a cramped space, I use the Canon 50mm.  This is the best bang for the buck at only $100... sometimes it's sold at $80.  These two lenses create a nice bokeh (background blur) and are relatively fast lenses.

I sometimes use the lens that came with the camera, Canon 28-135mm IS, but I don't think it's as sharp as my prime lenses (non-zoom).

If you like to blur the background (bokeh), shoot at a wider aperture.  The 50 or 100mm will create a nice bokeh and a sharp subject on the foreground.  If you want the entire image to be sharp, shoot at a narrower aperture, say f11.  If you can, check out the book "Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera" or any reading material about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance...etc.

Are you still with me?  Just checking.

Aside from lenses, I have a tripod, tripod head, monopod, umbrella, umbrella/flash holder, light stands, continuous lights, and flash.  Out of these, I've seriously used the tripod and flash.  Don't worry Wifey, I will use all these soon!  Stay tuned for maternity pics y'all.  But not of my wife!

Anyway, tripod.  Compare the cheap(~$50) versus pricey ($300+) tripods and heads.  You'll know why they are very expensive.  Weight and quality are the main factors.  Find the feature that is best for you.  I have a Manfrotto tripod (190XPROB) and pan head (3-way head).  It's hella heavy but very sturdy.  I wouldn't take it hiking or on very long walks though.  A tripod is a necessity for long exposure shots or if you want to be in the shot and nobody is available to take it for you.

Do I trust others to take my pictures?  Unless they know how to use a DSLR, I set the camera to Auto before they take the picture.  I primarily shoot in Manual mode.

The Sanglorians

As for flashes, I have the Canon 430EX II.  Honestly, I don't like it as much. I can't connect my Pocket Wizards directly to it.  The flash power isn't that great on wider environments but it will do if you're shooting around the house (i.e. small area).

Two-thirds there!

Composition.  At first, follow the "Rule of Thirds".  It will do wonders.  There are also the Fibonacci spiral or Golden Ratio, Leading Lines, Triangular composition....et cetera et cetera.  Bottom line, if it looks good to you, shoot it!

And then came HDR, High Dynamic Range imaging.  Here's, how I do it, shoot three consecutive shots (normal, under, and over exposed).  Load it into your favorite HDR processor, then voila!

Finally, software.  I use Lightroom.  All the data management and color correction magic are done here.  I don't care what anyone says but most of the time you must post process your shots. 

Oh and my camera body is a Canon 40D.  That's all I have for now!  I still have a lot to learn.  Thank you for reading.

Here are a few shots using my favorite glass (taken in Solvang, CA; blog post is inevitable):