Could not agree more

Scott Bourne was exactly on target with his post, "I Only Shoot With Natural Light." I read it and couldn't help but smile at my own ignorance back in the day.

Here is what I wrote up regarding how I was dealing with light sources back in December of 2011.

I fully admit I did not look at alternative light sources because of a lack of knowledge. I was afraid, it was easier to just work with what was there. I couldn't see the image because I didn't know. I did not work towards 'crafting' an end result. I only was taking photos because they were interesting results. Now I see images in my head, and how the results should be. As an example, this past December I was asked to take a couple photos for/of a magazine. I thought about it, and the method of lighting the scene, and the results came.

Do I wish I had dove right in to lighting and such? Probably not. There are stages of learning required for various things. Some people understand things naturally and can process multiple points all at once, for the rest of mortals, it takes time. Like understanding the rules of photography through practice and trying. Then once it is understood, you can break the rules for reasons that are understood regarding impact.

Whats important? The image, only the image. As Scott accurately points out.

Memory

(been way too long since my last post- been lacking motivation to post)

Today I am wondering how much memory should I have with me? Well, that's a tough one for a very enthusiastic amateur to know. My shooting style can range from a shot of a caterpillar on the back deck to vacation with family, to a local sporting event.

I recently came back from vacation where I was shooting family fun. I was restricted in backups or archiving. Lots of chimping and deleting as we progressed to recover memory. I was shooting RAW, my default file format. I had two 8 GB cards, and a 2 GB card. For a grand total of 18 GB memory.

Yet I ran out. Even with all the clearing and such... I did not have enough storage. For the record, it was north of 700 RAW photos in about 4-5 days.

What should I do in the future to not run out of space? Here are the options I have:

• Buy more memory. It is 'cheap' enough now... a 16 GB card is about $40. Bringing my portable storage to 34 GB. About 1300 RAW photos.
  
• Buy a portable memory cell. A 320 GB one runs about $136 from B&H. Thats the cheapest one, and smallest. I could dump images for days with this. They have a 1 TB for $619.
  
• Use a laptop for portable storage. Problem is, I don't own a laptop... I don't know about packing and caring for a laptop on trips. Even a refurb'd, generic as heck, Dell runs $579. (500 GB) A refurb'd MacPro is over $1,000. MacAir doesn't have enough storage to make it feasible at the price.
  
• Don't take as many photos- thats just despressing.

I don't know what the answer is right now. Anyone want to be my corporate sponsor and provide me with more storage? I got a big Disney trip this fall, and I refuse to run out of memory!

How to keep active?

This problem plagues me- how do I keep active shooting and expand my knowledge/experience of photography? I know that looking and reading can only take me so far in my attempts to stay ahead of loss. I know that I am better than I was last year.

Over the past two weeks I haven't done much of anything related to photography. There have been sick kids, school work, regular work, and generally other things to get in my way and distract me from hauling out my camera.
One area which has been a bit of a downer is that I haven't made it to my regular gaming group on Wednesdays. I usually show up with the goal to get photos, not to play games. That has allowed me the excuse to shoot as I see fit, and to take in some of the games.
A second area I have been missing out on is my weekend walk with my dog along the Gunpowder. I missed a weekend and this past weekend there wasn't much to shoot at all. A bit of a drag.
Third is my kids, I photograph them when I can. I finally broke out my backdrop for some regular photos of them yesterday, and used a new piece of gear! The Shutterboss remote timer camera trigger. It turned out to be wonderful and is perfect for getting ME in the photos with my family. I just wish someone told me that my eyes had some serious bags under them. Ugh.

I think for my next area of need is to take some time out just to shoot something outside of my comfort zone. To get me thinking about photos different. A photo shoot for friends, or to find a photo gathering to talk shop... something other than my regular set of subject matter. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them, just that I need to get kicked in the butt for motivation.


Until then- keep looking, getting motivated, and keep shooting.

Gamers

I've been attending a regular game night with friends since about , at least 2006. We play on Wednesday nights, and it has been very much fun. I am not a hard core gamer like some of them, more of a social gamer who shows up for the photos, beer, and an occasional game play.
For a long while, I have been posting my photos of the games and people who are playing them. It has been a fun exercise. I've seen my photos get a lot better along the way. From available light, to other lenses, to bounce light, to multiple remote light triggers. I like the challenge, and it is a great way for me to get regular practice at photography.

In early 2011, the President RBM design studios, Rodger MacGowen, contacted me about my game night photos. He offered some mutually beneficial exchange between me and his group. He would send some magazines and games for photos to be used on his website for his magazine- C3i. Alrighty then... I had no clue who the guy was. I talked to my gaming buddies, and as it turns out he has put out a CRAP load of games. He is part of the management team at GMT.

To put it mildly  the dude is in gaming. He contacted me for photos to use. Really?


Rodger asked me to do some photos for the C3i magazine, adverts. The first couple were not QUIET what he was looking for. Ok ok ok... they were total ham shots. I wanted to come up with something slightly better.

My mind started thinking of posed shots- not the impromptu shots I am used to getting with the gaming friends. Rodger game me a couple ideas he was looking for, and I ran with them.

First, I needed to light the C3i magazine. Thats a given. Snoot or grid spot. That takes care of one of my two light sources. The 430EX because of the ability to dial down to like 1/64 power. Ok...  Then a soft light for another axis of light. This would be on the subjects face while 'reading' the magazine. That would get my Vivatar 285. Which means I had to go 1/4 or 1/16, as it does not have 1/8 power. *sigh*

Seemed like a great idea, the problem is I don't do this type of shooting enough to just setup and go. It took me a good 10-15 minutes to dial everything in. But once I did get it, I was just nailing shot after shot. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

Nice soft light on one side of the subject away from the magazine cover, and the cover nicely highlighted with a direct light source.

Rodger was very happy and turned it around the next day for an on-line advert.

[follow-up] I often joke with the guys that if a GMT game is on the table, I am legally obligated to photograph it. Rodger did me one better, he said I was ' "unofficial" GMT photographer.'