Tag: Portrait

multi-focal lenses

Maybe if we stopped calling them zooms in the first place. That word doesn’t do justice to what’s going on optically. Maybe instead we could describe them as multi-focal lenses. There’s definitely something pretty fantastic about having the equivalent of 8 primes on a single lens… IF you use it as such. IF you understand how to use each individual focal length in the right context, and how each one changes the entire aspect of an image way beyond making things look nearer or closer. Compression, distortion, spatial perception. Of course you can also use it to get a closer shot of that mountain way out there; but perhaps if you actually GO to the mountain, something amazing will happen along the way.Patrick La Roque

I own two prime lenses, the AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX and AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G DX. I use these lenses primarily for "about the town" photography. I also plan on purchasing the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f1.8G for portrait photography. I own a AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 DX which I use primarily for landscape and closeup photography. It's almost always at the 18mm or 55mm end of the zoom.

I prefer using the primes because they force me to move around more to get my composition. By doing so I often see something I would have missed.

Joanna

This weekend Scott Wyden-Kivowitz arranged a studio lighting session hosted by Dynalite in Union, NJ. The event was limited to 30 people. I was fortunate to be among the thirty. Scott started the afternoon with a presentation called " Photography Studio Lighting On A Budget" before handing things over to Dynalite's Jim Morton.

Designed and manufactured in the USA, Dynalite has earned its reputation as the flash equipment with power and performance in a small and lightweight package. Professional photographers from around the world choose Dynalite to satisfy a variety of demanding lighting needs. But there’s more to it than that.

Daryl Meek, a photographer from Hillsborough, arranged for a model and a make-up artist. Our make-up artist, Joanna, applied make-up to model, Gianna Esposito while the photographers looked in wonder at the 79" RiME Lite softbox. That thing is huge, dwarfed only by the 90" version. While Gianna was getting her makeup complete we started shooting our other model, Robert.

I borrowed a Nikkor 85mm 1.8 D from Gevon Servo and got to shooting. I've never seen such excellent images from my Nikon D40! I have Paul C. Buff AB800s and PLM Umbrellas but the light from the RiME Light is beautiful. Daryl managed to persuade Joanna to model for us and I got a few shots of her as well.

The event was a potluck so in between shots I munched on hummus, samosas and sandwiches and quaffed my thirst with Kohana cold brewed coffee. Thanks again Gevon!

The photo was post-processed in Adobe Lightroom and Portrait Professional.

Equipment used:

  • Dynalite SH 2000 Blower Cooled Studio Flash Head
  • Roadmax Power MP800 Powerpack
  • Rime Lite GB79 Grand Studio
  • Nikon D40
  • Nikkor 85mm 1.8D
  • PocketWizard Plus X
Johanna—Nikon D40 + Nikon @ 85 mm, f/11, ISO200
Joanna—Nikon D40 + Nikon @ 85 mm, f/11, ISO200
Joanna—Nikon D40 + Nikon @ 85 mm, f/11, ISO200