windoze
Nov-18-2006, 06:51 PM
Well to make a long story short, last nite I was the "photographer" at my daughter's school taking pics of the kids with SANTA. I supplied the camera, ink, papers.... they provided SANTA the background and all else.
The idea was i would take pics and print them out there..
In one word it was a complete disaster. I didnt want to use flash. I brought the canon 20D and efs-17-55. Well the "cafeteria lights" where the event was taking place werent replaced ( as promised ). Three were still not working. The background they supplied was a very reflective green metallic "wrapping paper". So if i tried to use my flash the background gave off a green cast on the skin and turned Santa's beard yellow!!!!
Because of the bad lighting I had to use ISO 1600 f/2.8. But the problem with that was that the kids were never in the same "plane" as Santa, and they werent get close enough. I had to center focus on one or another...
Then the real problems began... My wife was my printer. She did try her best. She doesnt know how to process RAW so i had to shoot jpegs.
She wasnt able to correctly use noise reduction software and adjust levels, tint even though we did practice it for hours.....
There was no organization to this whole event. All parents had their own cameras so they didnt even need me to take 6x4 pictures for $6.00 each!
The ones who did ask me "EXPECTED RESULTS" AS IF i WAS ANSEL ADAMS.
i started to get mad at myself and then the mistakes began....
1) shooting with no memory card in the camera,
2) forgetting to match image numbers to the parents
3) not paying attention to composition.... and more! :scratch:scratch:scratch
I tried at times to shoot RAW and promised some people id email them their images within 24 hours......
When I posted another thread ( http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=43034 ) about where to find frames / mats for 6x4 images BrettG gave me this advice..
If it were me, I'd get my supplies here -> http://www.jackdaniels.com/home.asp
HOW RIGHT HE WAS !!!!!!! :wink
NEVER AGAIN WILL I DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I WORKED AT THE EVENT FOR THREE HOURS AND POST PROCESSED FOR 6 HOURS. TOTAL SUPPLIES COST ( PAPERS, INK, FRAMES, KICKBACK TO THE SCHOOL ) $75.00
TOTAL RECEIPTS $120.00. MY PROFIT AFTER PAYING TWO GIRLS WHO HELPED ME $30.00.........
THAT'S ABOUT $3.00 AN HOUR....... :dunno
where ever you are BRETTG , you were so right !!!!!!
three samples:
these are three samples i worked on after the event...
realize i used no flash in a very lowlit environment at ISO 1600 , f/2.8
http://windoze.smugmug.com/photos/111239270-M.jpg
http://windoze.smugmug.com/photos/111166830-M.jpg
http://windoze.smugmug.com/photos/111135918-M.jpg
troy
The idea was i would take pics and print them out there..
In one word it was a complete disaster. I didnt want to use flash. I brought the canon 20D and efs-17-55. Well the "cafeteria lights" where the event was taking place werent replaced ( as promised ). Three were still not working. The background they supplied was a very reflective green metallic "wrapping paper". So if i tried to use my flash the background gave off a green cast on the skin and turned Santa's beard yellow!!!!
Because of the bad lighting I had to use ISO 1600 f/2.8. But the problem with that was that the kids were never in the same "plane" as Santa, and they werent get close enough. I had to center focus on one or another...
Then the real problems began... My wife was my printer. She did try her best. She doesnt know how to process RAW so i had to shoot jpegs.
She wasnt able to correctly use noise reduction software and adjust levels, tint even though we did practice it for hours.....
There was no organization to this whole event. All parents had their own cameras so they didnt even need me to take 6x4 pictures for $6.00 each!
The ones who did ask me "EXPECTED RESULTS" AS IF i WAS ANSEL ADAMS.
i started to get mad at myself and then the mistakes began....
1) shooting with no memory card in the camera,
2) forgetting to match image numbers to the parents
3) not paying attention to composition.... and more! :scratch:scratch:scratch
I tried at times to shoot RAW and promised some people id email them their images within 24 hours......
When I posted another thread ( http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=43034 ) about where to find frames / mats for 6x4 images BrettG gave me this advice..
If it were me, I'd get my supplies here -> http://www.jackdaniels.com/home.asp
HOW RIGHT HE WAS !!!!!!! :wink
NEVER AGAIN WILL I DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I WORKED AT THE EVENT FOR THREE HOURS AND POST PROCESSED FOR 6 HOURS. TOTAL SUPPLIES COST ( PAPERS, INK, FRAMES, KICKBACK TO THE SCHOOL ) $75.00
TOTAL RECEIPTS $120.00. MY PROFIT AFTER PAYING TWO GIRLS WHO HELPED ME $30.00.........
THAT'S ABOUT $3.00 AN HOUR....... :dunno
where ever you are BRETTG , you were so right !!!!!!
three samples:
these are three samples i worked on after the event...
realize i used no flash in a very lowlit environment at ISO 1600 , f/2.8
http://windoze.smugmug.com/photos/111239270-M.jpg
http://windoze.smugmug.com/photos/111166830-M.jpg
http://windoze.smugmug.com/photos/111135918-M.jpg
troy