dav.d photography

Posts Tagged ‘camera’

15th July 2010

What’s inthe Camera Bag – Day 315 of 365

written by dav.d

With the repair of my Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR lens my gear is complete (for now). Yes, I have some more gear I am saving up for and yes I still am going to be photographing with Canon and Nikon gear. Both have their strengths and both have their weaknesses. So here are my two main camera bags (I like using Think Tank Camera bags).

But, to the gear heads, here you can check out my collection. Although I should have photographed my medium format film camera. Yeah, I’ll admit it, I’m a slacker.

What's in my camera bag? Canon edition

What's in my camera bag? Canon edition

What's in my camera bag? Nikon edition

What's in my camera bag? Nikon edition

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Posted in Daily Photograph Project, camera gear | Tags: , , , , ,

20th August 2009

Just bought a Honl Snoot for my Speedlights

written by dav.d
Honl Photo Snoot

Honl Photo Snoot

I have bought a new photo “toy!”  It has been said that light is the language of photography.  And you must learn to master light in order to create amazing images.

In ideal situations you have  a softbox, umbrellas, or other lighting equipment.  However, when you are a photographer on the go and moving around – such as a wedding or an event – you don’t have time to lug around a softbox.

For several years I have been using the Gary Fong Lightsphere.  It works great – but it has some limitations.  The light goes everywhere.  If you are in a large convention hall, outdoors, or such you can’t bounce the light off of walls or the ceiling.

So I bought the Honl 8″ snoot – and this thing rocks.  I can control the light much more than with the Lightsphere.  And because it creates a larger light than the Lightsphere I get softer light.

So I will be getting a few more of these things (redundancy is the best back up).  And I also want to get a few of their grids for some creative lighting.  Pretty slick!

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9th December 2008

My favorite lens

written by dav.d

I did a quick survey of my camera bag – I have it laying here next to me and I have 9 camera lenses.  Do I use all my lenses?  Not regularly – some of them are just back up.  But I do find myself using the same 4 lenses again and again.  They are the lenses I will always stick in my shootsac.

But one of them is my favorite.  The Nikkor f/1.8 85mm lens.  I love it.  When shooting portraits I find that I use that 95% of the time.  Because it as a wide aperture of f/1.8 it gives me buttery and blurry backgrounds.  I can shoot in low light and sometimes no light.  I can also use it in studio photography.

For people who are starting out in photography and they ask me what lenses they should buy – I would recommend this lens.

I do lust for the Canon f/1.2 85mm and the Canon f/1.2 50mm – and it sucks that Nikon doesn’t make a lens at f/1.2. Who knows maybe someday I will buy a Canon camera and f/1.2 lenses just for fun.

But for now the Nikkor 85mm is my favorite lens.  I can’t wait till I get it on a full frame sensor.

photo of the nikkor f/1.8 85mm

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15th September 2008

BYU Football – and a camera phone

written by dav.d

If you don’t know I am a BYU Cougar – I graduated in psychology of all things.  Some of my earliest memories involve visiting Brigham Young University.  My parents met at BYU and my dad proposed to my mom at the stadium.  Watching TV I cheered BYU to their national championship when my family was stationed at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines.  So yes – I bleed blue.

Saturday my dad and my sister Marianne went to the BYU football game and we had a great time watching our beloved Cougars spank UCLA 59-0.  I really wanted to take my good camera – a Nikon D300 – to the game.  I wasn’t sure if such cameras are allowed so I figured I can take a picture with my camera phone.

So here is a picture that I will treasure – cause it will remind me of the game.  But I also look at it and think that it takes equipment and talent to take good pictures.

 BYU Football

This photo has been put through Photoshop to enhance the color and saturation.  So I was able to salvage the photo a little bit.  The next time I go to a BYU game I will bring my real camera – they apparently forbid video cameras but not still cameras.

There is always a constant debate among photographers whether skill or equipment defines the photographer.  Would it make any difference if William Shakespeare had to use a crayon to write Hamlet? Would anyone be able to take amazing photos if we just handed them a Hasselblad?

It really is a moot argument – it takes both skill and equipment.  There is a reason sport photographers use a camera that can shoot 8 frames a second and a lens that retails for $6,000.  They won’t be using a camera phone to take Sports Illustrated photos. However, a photographer is only as good as the camera he or she has with them.

Anywho, just wanted to rant a little – and I wanted to celebrate BYU winning.

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