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Bah Humbug ! I should have listened to BrettG

windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
edited November 26, 2006 in Mind Your Own Business
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

111239270-M.jpg


111166830-M.jpg

111135918-M.jpg

troy

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    SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2006
    No good deed goes unpunished. :D

    The photos look a LOT better than I expected! Looks like you did the best with what you had.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
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    bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited November 19, 2006
    You can set your camera so the shutter won't release without an image card in the camera. If I recall its in the custom functions or in the menu. That will help eliminate that.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
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    windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
    edited November 20, 2006
    Sam wrote:
    No good deed goes unpunished. :D

    The photos look a LOT better than I expected! Looks like you did the best with what you had.

    Sam

    THANX SAM,

    the images i posted are of ones i went home and worked on. the ones i made at the event had santa with a yellowish cast on his beard and the people looked green.....


    troy
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    dragon300zxdragon300zx Registered Users Posts: 2,575 Major grins
    edited November 20, 2006
    windoze wrote:
    THANX SAM,

    the images i posted are of ones i went home and worked on. the ones i made at the event had santa with a yellowish cast on his beard and the people looked green.....


    troy
    These types of event's take practice, and you have to be a masochist to enjoy these types event's. There will always be a problem, it will always be stressfull, and nothing will ever be good enough.

    Oh and yeah I know quoting that last statement of yours makes no sense. But people should be used to that from me by now. :dragon
    Everyone Has A Photographic Memory. Some Just Do Not Have Film.
    www.zxstudios.com
    http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
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    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,697 moderator
    edited November 20, 2006
    Troy,

    I feel your pain.......:D

    I have been asked to shoot pictures for folks also, and I have learned over the years to scout the location ahead of time. Lighting will just bite you in the nether parts, and non- shooters just do not see it.

    I ALWAYS bring several lights - flashes or better, studio strobes.
    That green metallic background is a disaster right in your path.

    You probably can correct for the color cast with a magenta filter in PS.

    I wonder if an Expodisc might have helped in this situation. I would love to hear of someone's use of an Exposdisc or in camera WB in this kind of circumstance.

    You even made a little money, Troy, what's not to like????
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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    windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
    edited November 20, 2006
    I believe that when people pay for something they should get the most professional service available. The fact is that this was done to support the elementary school but never-the-less I should havce been able to provide the parents with pictures that looked good. The God's truth is that they "stunk". ISO 1600 / with yellow cast and green skin - frankly im embarrased. I never should have taken the assignment. you know im not really a photographer, if it wasnt for ANDY showing me how to use a camera id still be shooting automatic. Because of the "This Assignment" i lost 10 pounds, my diabetes is ot of whack and ive grown a full beard as a disguise so people wont recognize me to ask for their money back. Photography is better left for people who know what they are doing...
    BUT... i do appreciate your advice and words and after all I "DID DO IT" so maybe not all is lost ( Just my dignity )
    troy
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    DeeDee Registered Users Posts: 2,981 Major grins
    edited November 20, 2006
    I feel your pain!
    OMG, that green background.... I can't believe it!

    Your post photos look very good and if the parents could see those, I bet they look better than the pictures the parents took!

    Congratulations for even attempting such a project.
    http://www.deegolden.smugmug.com
    http://www.twitter.com/deegolden
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    SloYerRollSloYerRoll Registered Users Posts: 2,788 Major grins
    edited November 23, 2006
    Sounds like a perfect storm of events!

    It's not the performace of the person that makes the person. It's how you get up, dust yourself off, and learn from all your mistakes.

    Even if you go temporarily insane and decide to take another dose of this "volenteer" nightmarish photo shoot. You'll know exactly what to do next time.

    Live and learn.
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    imaximax Registered Users Posts: 691 Major grins
    edited November 26, 2006
    windoze wrote:
    I believe that when people pay for something they should get the most professional service available. The fact is that this was done to support the elementary school but never-the-less I should havce been able to provide the parents with pictures that looked good. The God's truth is that they "stunk". ISO 1600 / with yellow cast and green skin - frankly im embarrased. I never should have taken the assignment. you know im not really a photographer, if it wasnt for ANDY showing me how to use a camera id still be shooting automatic. Because of the "This Assignment" i lost 10 pounds, my diabetes is ot of whack and ive grown a full beard as a disguise so people wont recognize me to ask for their money back. Photography is better left for people who know what they are doing...
    BUT... i do appreciate your advice and words and after all I "DID DO IT" so maybe not all is lost ( Just my dignity )
    troy

    Hey Troy, Sorry to hear about your little disaster but it could have been alot worse. So many other things could have happened. You could have lost all the pictures, your equipment could have been stolen, Santa could have not shown up or shown up drunk. So many different things could have happened to make the night much much worse.

    But they didn't and you tried, that in itself deserves alot of Credit. You got to spend time with your wife, you got to see all those smiling faces. Listen I know that you want everything to turn out perfect, don't we all. The bottom line is you move forward from this and learn from it. Go out and try it again and see what happens..............
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