Jalil's 25th Anniversary

Jeremy Winterberg

Just posted the blog for the party I shot tonight.

http://jeremydwayne.com/?p=921

Had lots of issues..
1. The lights were so dim when the dancing started that my 5DMKII wouldn't focus on the dance floor :huh
2. well.. I guess that was really the only problem.. unless you count me not having enough time to make a second trip through the buffet, more importantly to get second helpings of the prime rib. :cry

Handed out a few business cards, impressed a few doctors with my work and my iPad, awesome night overall. :deal

I'll wet your mouth with a picture of the delicious prime rib I got to eat at the party.

ivar

Overall I think you did an excellent job, especially considering you just got your new camera; There are some really cool shots in there

When the camera didn't want to focus, what focus point were you using? The center seems to work better than the others and hasn't let me down so far.

Some of the detail shots seem a bit under-exposed. Personally, I think the 5d2 in general under-exposes; I use +2/3EV as '0EV' if that makes sense (basically I always add +2/3EV to everything, if shooting AV/TV), plus a lot of the detail shots had a lot of white in them, which doesn't help.

I know I am a bit sensitive to the thing I'm going to write about next, so take this with a grain of salt, but if I were you I would not have written things like:
-...and their beautiful daughter Zoe – who seriously needs to hit me up for senior pictures when its her turn to graduate from Memorial!
-While I ate I imported my favorite images to my iPad and let people pass it around. Excellent idea Jeremy. *pats self on back*
-Well hello ladies. Too bad they’re in high school…
Regardless of wether or not things are true, it doesn't sound very professional to me.

All in all good job

Jeremy Winterberg

ivar wrote: »

When the camera didn't want to focus, what focus point were you using? The center seems to work better than the others and hasn't let me down so far.

I used the Center focus point because I heard that's the best one in dire situations..

ivar wrote: »

Some of the detail shots seem a bit under-exposed. Personally, I think the 5d2 in general under-exposes; I use +2/3EV as '0EV' if that makes sense (basically I always add +2/3EV to everything, if shooting AV/TV), plus a lot of the detail shots had a lot of white in them, which doesn't help.

Thats my fault. I was too tired to edit last night so I just threw them up SOOC. I just edited some of the detail shots, hopefully they're better now.

ivar wrote: »

I know I am a bit sensitive to the thing I'm going to write about next, so take this with a grain of salt... ...Regardless of wether or not things are true, it doesn't sound very professional to me.

All in all good job

Agreed. Deleted. Again, I was tired when I wrote it.. it sounded funny to me at the time. Looking back it sounds unprofessional.

The one thing I gotta say though. The 5DMKII is amazing at high iso. Most of the pictures were taken at 6400ISO to try to keep a shutter speed over 1/60. Yeah... it was freaking dark!

Thanks iVar ( iPad - iVar) I needed someone to keep me from being lazy.

Nikolai

Good stuff, Jeremy!
Looks like 5D2 is working for you!
As I mentioned earlier, in very low light it may have a problem focusing.
I agree, cool idea with iPad. Now, I'm simply waiting for gPad to come around :-)

Qarik

were you not using using a on camera flash? The focus assist pattern should have easily let you focus even if it is pretty dark. As far as the shots so go..they are okay. decent basic shots. But there was nothing very unique compositionally and the lighting is just ... there.

Jeremy Winterberg

Nikolai wrote: »

Good stuff, Jeremy!
Looks like 5D2 is working for you!
As I mentioned earlier, in very low light it may have a problem focusing.
I agree, cool idea with iPad. Now, I'm simply waiting for gPad to come around :-)

Thanks Nik, I like the 5D2, I just need to play with it more. The 3 days I had it, prior to the party, wasn't enough practice tbh. gPad as in google? Ooo now that would be sweet. a tablet with Android software.

Qarik wrote: »

were you not using using a on camera flash? The focus assist pattern should have easily let you focus even if it is pretty dark. As far as the shots so go..they are okay. decent basic shots. But there was nothing very unique compositionally and the lighting is just ... there.

I had a 580EXII on top, bouncing off the ceiling or a wall. The focus assist pattern did jack. Maybe it was turned off.. idk..

There wasn't much to work with, and I agree - they are just okay. There are a few that I'm proud of, but overall I'm disappointed in the majority of what I produced. But, the couple can't really complain much.. they didn't pay for it. My friend's mom works with him and she's the one that hired and paid me (she gave it as a gift to them).

Qarik

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

Thanks Nik, I like the 5D2, I just need to play with it more. The 3 days I had it, prior to the party, wasn't enough practice tbh. gPad as in google? Ooo now that would be sweet. a tablet with Android software.



I had a 580EXII on top, bouncing off the ceiling or a wall. The focus assist pattern did jack. Maybe it was turned off.. idk..

There wasn't much to work with, and I agree - they are just okay. There are a few that I'm proud of, but overall I'm disappointed in the majority of what I produced. But, the couple can't really complain much.. they didn't pay for it. My friend's mom works with him and she's the one that hired and paid me (she gave it as a gift to them).

The focus assist pattern should be very visible when looking throught heviewfinder..you should see it turn on when the shutter button is 1/2 depressed. This is something worth looking into becasue you will encounter this situation a lot. The one time I had issue was the assist pattern does not work with Nikons in continuous focus mode..maybe just an issue like that.

Jeremy Winterberg

Thanks, I'll have to check that when I get home.

jeffreaux2

Qarik wrote: »

The focus assist pattern should be very visible when looking throught heviewfinder..you should see it turn on when the shutter button is 1/2 depressed. This is something worth looking into becasue you will encounter this situation a lot. The one time I had issue was the assist pattern does not work with Nikons in continuous focus mode..maybe just an issue like that.

Yup....make sure it is enabled in menu.

FWIW....I usually hand hold the flash and use the STE2 to fire it. The STE2...in the shoe is a VERY VERY good focus assist. Never mises unless you get out of range. I have only had trouble with it in total darkness when using 70-200mm zoom for full length portraits. It just doesnt throw light that far.

An alternative to handholding flash is mount it on a monopod.

Jeremy Winterberg

It was enabled. But, I just figured out why it didn't work. It was what you said Daniel. I had my 5D2 on AI Servo focusing.. and it doesn't emit the focus assist beam on that setting. It works on AI Focus and One Shot. :bash

I was so frustrated during the party because it wouldn't focus and I knew it wasn't doing the focus assist beam. I feel like a moron now because it could've been all fixed with a setting.

Jeremy Winterberg

jeffreaux2 wrote: »

An alternative to handholding flash is mount it on a monopod.

I meant to use a monopod but accidentally forgot it in my SUV. By the time I realized I forgot it the party was well on its way and I couldn't leave. again ->

Qarik

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

It was enabled. But, I just figured out why it didn't work. It was what you said Daniel. I had my 5D2 on AI Servo focusing.. and it doesn't emit the focus assist beam on that setting. It works on AI Focus and One Shot. :bash

I was so frustrated during the party because it wouldn't focus and I knew it wasn't doing the focus assist beam. I feel like a moron now because it could've been all fixed with a setting.

haha..that's one of those "hard" lessons that you will never forget.

Jeremy Winterberg

Qarik wrote: »

haha..that's one of those "hard" lessons that you will never forget.

truedat