Portraits - Looking for Feeback

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Thanks mate, only got a DSLR 18 months ago but like you I've been really keen to learn and develop my skills... keep going and you'll start to see loads of improvement in no time at all :)

I'd recommend this site btw http://digital-photography-school.com/ loads of great tutorials and an excellent forum. Mind you they rip even the best photographs to shreds on there so you have to accept no-one will say nice things about your pics lol... however I think that's been really helpful to me as sometimes you don't spot the mistakes until people point them out to you.
 


ajax_andy said:
Thanks mate, only got a DSLR 18 months ago but like you I've been really keen to learn and develop my skills... keep going and you'll start to see loads of improvement in no time at all :)

I'd recommend this site btw http://digital-photography-school.com/ loads of great tutorials and an excellent forum. Mind you they rip even the best photographs to shreds on there so you have to accept no-one will say nice things about your pics lol... however I think that's been really helpful to me as sometimes you don't spot the mistakes until people point them out to you.
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Got this shitty pentax in September, but really got my eye on the 7d now. Couldn't agree more with pointing out things you miss. On some of my photos i'll focus too much on one aspect and ignore the rest i.e the backgrounds

but i'll give the site a good looking over.

Noticed on the other thread about the 50mm f1.4 lens for canon. I've got the 1.4 for pentax and it was well worth the money. My camera doesn't really do it much justice in all fairness. I'll prob by an adaptor ring to start with and just put the 1.4 50mm I've already got onto the new body.

With your 7d did you just buy the body then get a separate lens? I've seen the body for about 900 but with the lens its nearly 1200/1300. Im thinking just buy the body then buy a similar lens but one of a sigma/tokina/tamron make.
 
I already had a 450d which I learnt on before upgrading to the 7D, only bought the new body a few months back, so already had built up my lens collection a bit before then.

Where did you see the body for £900? Avoid getting it on eBay as some are fakes. I got mine for £1k from Jessops but not sure that deal is still on.
 
ajax_andy said:
I already had a 450d which I learnt on before upgrading to the 7D, only bought the new body a few months back, so already had built up my lens collection a bit before then.

Where did you see the body for £900? Avoid getting it on eBay as some are fakes. I got mine for £1k from Jessops but not sure that deal is still on.
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Think i'll be looking at it around 1k tbh. That website is good btw. Seen some good write ups on there already.

Just looking at whats available for the canon makes me wish id gone with them right away, means id of been able to build up a few lenses as well.

I think some hard investment is coming up over these next few months.
 
MalmöMakem said:
Think i'll be looking at it around 1k tbh. That website is good btw. Seen some good write ups on there already.

Just looking at whats available for the canon makes me wish id gone with them right away, means id of been able to build up a few lenses as well.

I think some hard investment is coming up over these next few months.
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I know that feeling... Spent over 4k in 18 months lol
 
Just looking to get started in photography myself so some really interesting stuff in this thread.

Have to admit its only ever going to be a hobby and can't ever see myself making anything more of it. Basically just a chance to get some nice photographs of friend, family and memories.

Bought myself a 500d as this seemed like a canny starter camera for the money with an 18-55 lens.

Any advice or recommendations on reasonable purchase which would help/make a big difference would be greatly appreciated

Cheers
 
stroga said:
Just looking to get started in photography myself so some really interesting stuff in this thread.

Have to admit its only ever going to be a hobby and can't ever see myself making anything more of it. Basically just a chance to get some nice photographs of friend, family and memories.

Bought myself a 500d as this seemed like a canny starter camera for the money with an 18-55 lens.

Any advice or recommendations on reasonable purchase which would help/make a big difference would be greatly appreciated

Cheers
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So many variables there mate.

What do you like shooting, whats your budget etc. Before spending any money I'd look to improving things like composition and the absolute basics.

Go to amazon and search for the scott kelby books. Brilliant as a beginner I think.
 
UaeExile said:
So many variables there mate.

What do you like shooting, whats your budget etc. Before spending any money I'd look to improving things like composition and the absolute basics.

Go to amazon and search for the scott kelby books. Brilliant as a beginner I think.
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Yeah mate sorry about how vague it is, this as I'm just getting started I don't really know what I wanna do yet, would love to get some nice portraits but would like to keep my options open for landscape arty shots aswell

Love black and white and love what I would class as modern compositions. I'll try and post an example of a daft shot I took when I was away in vegas a little later to show what I mean.

Possibly looking to spend about £200 on some general basic/essential kit to get me started with a view to buy more serious kit if I get into it

Cheers for the shout on the books I'll give them a look

Hopefully this works as the example of the modern/abstract stuff I quite like

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Excuse how crude it is but was just a quick snap and that's how it was on the camera as have not had a chance to do any editing or processing yet, however any advise on that would be appreciated aswell

Sorry for all the questions and for hijacking the thread

Well that didn't work so the link is http://img707.imageshack.us/i/imagevxnj.jpg/
 
Tbh I wouldn't spend a penny. Your skills won't be up to the standard required to see a real benefit from of a prime lens and learning about exposure and composition will improve you 100 x more than a new lens.

I used the standard kit lens for 12 months before buying anything else and it more than did for me :)

Maybe after a little while but a flash (maybe one of the ones I listed in this thread), but I don't think buying a new lens is important at this stage.

Learn the basics first as this is where it's at for someone just starting out and the kit lens is actually pretty damn good
 
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Was already thinking of the 50 as I had heard it mentioned when I was doing a bit of googling. What's the major difference between that and the 18-55 that comes with the camera?
 
ajax_andy said:
Tbh I wouldn't spend a penny. Your skills won't be up to the standard required to see a real benefit from of a prime lens and learning about exposure and composition will improve you 100 x more than a new lens.

I used the standard kit lens for 12 months before buying anything else and it more than did for me :)

Maybe after a little while but a flash (maybe one of the ones I listed in this thread), but I don't think buying a new lens is important at this stage.

Learn the basics first as this is where it's at for someone just starting out and the kit lens is actually pretty damn good
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Cheers, kinda agree with you tbf I don't wanna end up in the category of 'all the gear but no idea' plus your suggestion sounds alot cheaper :)

MalmöMakem said:
Second the idea of a 50mm. Although I'm seemingly shite with it. It's a great lens to have on any camera.
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The only thing that stops me tbh is the convenience of not having to set-up as such just take the pic from where I stand.

Doubt any of the people I would want photographs of would want to pose as such. Not exactly ideal for portrait shooting like :$
 
i'd listen the ajax_andy. just from the advice he's given me he's been a good help.

i think the cheapest 50mm lens is only 80 quid so it's not too bad. But you'll get away with the stock lens for now easily. you'll just naturally know when you need something more.
 
MalmöMakem said:
i'd listen the ajax_andy. just from the advice he's given me he's been a good help.

i think the cheapest 50mm lens is only 80 quid so it's not too bad. But you'll get away with the stock lens for now easily. you'll just naturally know when you need something more.
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You have a Pentax K-r they'll take any K-Mount lens. You can pick up a manual focus F1.4 50mm lens for bugger all (I paid a tenner for one but I did have to clean the diaphragm blades) and have just bought a Ricoh F2.0 50mm for 10 quid (new in box). The big advantage of Pentax is they can use anything (even M42 with an adapter) every made in a K Mount lens.
 
taipeisafc said:
You have a Pentax K-r they'll take any K-Mount lens. You can pick up a manual focus F1.4 50mm lens for bugger all (I paid a tenner for one but I did have to clean the diaphragm blades) and have just bought a Ricoh F2.0 50mm for 10 quid (new in box). The big advantage of Pentax is they can use anything (even M42 with an adapter) every made in a K Mount lens.
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it's originally why I looked into the Pentax cameras, but I just feel once I get to the k-5 there isn't much more room for scope. Should easily be able to pick up and adaptor for kmount to use on a canon. think I've seen some for 15 quid.
 
I'm gonna have a 50mm f1.8 for sale next week, maybe or I might give it to my lasses dad, cracking little lens for the money and opens up the world of aperture for beginner
 
MalmöMakem said:
i'd listen the ajax_andy. just from the advice he's given me he's been a good help.

i think the cheapest 50mm lens is only 80 quid so it's not too bad. But you'll get away with the stock lens for now easily. you'll just naturally know when you need something more.
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Yeah you've hit the nail on the head there regarding naturally knowing when the time to upgrade is... There's so much to learn and get your head around at the start that having the option to have f/1.8 instead of f/4.5 isn't important at all. Plus once you start opening up a prime to anything below f/4 you start playing with paper thin focal planes which are an art in themselves.

Some of the pics on my site were just taken with a 450d and a kit lens, so shows its the users skill rather than kit in a lot of instances. Ok some were also taken with a 7d and prime but I only upgraded to that level once I understood the technical side and felt the 450d & kit lens couldn't achieve what I wanted.
 
just going back over my light problem.

got my diffusers and that this morning so just had a quick experiment.

Try to ignore the composition of this one as i was just trying to get the right levels of light and detail.

if it's shit let me know.

taken with my 50mm

f 4.5
1/160
iso 200

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was mainly an attempt to get the right balance for as low a DOP as I could get but obviously keeping the exposure just right. I wanted it to look as it did to my eye (or as close as anyway)

Lighting wise i just used the flash gun diffused through the umbrella ad obviously natural daylight through the window which is above and to the left of the photo, but in all fairness the flash fills a lot of it.

No PP either to this one.
 
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