Canon EOS Rebel 300D

[Janel Maples]

Wow, did this thread get away from me. It will take me a while to digest all of this. Mary, I apologize for not acknowledging your question about the zoom I have. I think it is 70 - 300 (or something like that)

I really haven't played around with the zoom enough to figure out how to use it for my portrait needs yet so I couldn't tell you if I will like it for that or not. I am in the process of hiring a model to do some full figure reference photos of so I need to figure it out quickly.

I also need to go back and read this thread more carefully because there is a lot of valuable information in here for me.

[Cindy Procious]

Hey - swanky new avatar, Kim!

[Kimberly Dow]

Thanks Cindy -

got to show off the new hat. I've lived in TX 10 years now and am on a ranch. I figured it was time I finally tried to fit in. Next thing you know I'll be listening to country music.

[Janel Maples]

Mike or anyone else who can help,

Do you have a checklist of some sort when you go for a photo shoot or are all of these factors embedded in your brain and you intuitively know what things to change to get the job done?

I find that each time I learn a new feature of my camera in the creative modes, I forget something else that I should have remembered from the last time.

If you do have a list, either mentally or in black and white that you have questions to answer for each step of a photo shoot situation, would you mind sharing it?

I have notes, but there is no order to them. I do much better with order.

Nice hat Kimberly. Now I have to get use to the new photo. I keep picturing you in my mind as the other one.

[Mike McCarty]

Janel,

I try and keep the lists to minimum when I head out the door. I suppose I have lists that I don't have to think about. The way to eliminate the lists is to work out the details of your camera settings when your on your own time. If you will practice your settings, even if on a mannequin or a vase, you will become more secure and confident.

You have to give some thought to the lighting conditions which you find. I make my adjustments as far as giving myself enough shutter speed to keep me out of trouble and then I'm good to start, knowing that all the other switches were already thought through and will remain constant. All with an eye toward the unexpected.

The big plus to getting to this point is that your mind is then free to ponder only the creative aspect of what you are doing. I think it's hard to be creative when you are fretting over such mundane matters as switches.

[Janel Maples]

Originally Posted by Mike McCarty

I think it's hard to be creative when you are fretting over such mundane matters as switches.

Exactly what I want to avoid. I am pretty happy with the results I get with the Rebel while playing around with the creative modes so I can't complain. Some of it, though, is just plain luck because I forget to change some settings that were there from the last time. Other times, I play around with the switches until it looks good but I don't take the time to jot down what the lighting conditions were for future reference when going back to a photo that I really like. I really need to be more organized with this so it will start to become automatic.

It would be nice to get to a point where I can take a look around me and get all the numbers in the right spot before the model says "cheese".

Thanks for responding.

[Mike McCarty]

take the time to jot down what the lighting conditions were

Janel,

I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from taking notes or using any other methods of learning, we all process these matters differently. My simple mind wants to reduce things to either a donut or a hole. This alone can be suffieciently complex.

I look at it this way -- if you are going to photograph in natural light you have to accept the fact that every moment is different than the moment before. You could break it down into larger categories like outdoor light, indoor light, but unlike a studio setup which may remain stable, the natural light is too elusive and varied to define, as it relates to our settings.

Therefore, we must trust that the camera is friendly to our purpose. I think you should determine, through trial, error and practice, a good and sufficiently broad combination of settings and then let the camera micro manage those subtleties and nuances of condition. The light between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM can be so different, and the changes happen in degrees that are so imperceptible, that it defies our ability to define it in any meaningful way. I say allow your mind to give this duty over to your camera. It was born to this purpose and if we will give it some up front attention It will do this remarkably well.

All this to the notion that the more we can delegate the mundane matters to those things that are better equipped to deal with them the less our mind is taken away from the matters of creation. This from a fella that, while I fully appreciate a good and proper canvas, I would never set out to build one. I take comfort in the fact that there are those that seek to perfect these materials, I just want to know where I might pick one up. I can't help thinking in this way any more than I can alter my height.

I can appreciate that others approach these matters completely differently and attain results far superior to my own. So to the extent that these meanderings help I am glad. I hope they don't hurt.