Themed dance

jeffreaux2

A few shots of my daughter and friends dressed for a high school dance this weekend. A neighbor lent his car for a backdrop.....a 1948 Desoto.

1-My daughter


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4-


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9-

ShepsMom

These are fantastic Jeff, i can't even pick one i like the best, they all great. Love the mood on all of them, and that retro look of the whole theme. Very well done

jeffreaux2

ShepsMom wrote:

These are fantastic Jeff, i can't even pick one i like the best, they all great. Love the mood on all of them, and that retro look of the whole theme. Very well done

Thanks Marina,

I was pleased with these snapshots. The kids were excited that I had found someone with an old car to pose with. I met the guy today really....just stopped at his house and asked if we could borrow the car in return for some "car shots" when he gets it repainted. Just goes to show you, you will never know if you don't ask.

The kids had a ball....but....they ended the dance early due to severe weather on the way.

wareseeker

jeffreaux2 wrote:

Thanks Marina,

I was pleased with these snapshots. The kids were excited that I had found someone with an old car to pose with. I met the guy today really....just stopped at his house and asked if we could borrow the car in return for some "car shots" when he gets it repainted. Just goes to show you, you will never know if you don't ask.

The kids had a ball....but....they ended the dance early due to severe weather on the way.

Nice series!

rwells

Jeff,

Great shots


The costumes & car really make for nice props.


Looks like a Lightsphere in their eyes

Elaine

Jeff,

I love these! What great costumes and the car was the perfect addition. They're definitely more than snapshots. IMO, the shot and processing on the first one of your daughter is stellar, but I like the variety you presented. What a fun group. Love the expressions in 5 & 6.

Was the Lightsphere in use here, also? With a gel? Pointed right at them with the cap on?

jeffreaux2

wareseeker wrote:

Nice series!

Hey!!! thanks for commenting and welcome to Dgrin!!!:D

Photosbychuck

I love all of the photos GREAT job.
I bet they had a blast at the party.

Did the other parents what to buy prints of the photos from you?

jeffreaux2

rwells wrote:

Jeff,

Great shots


The costumes & car really make for nice props.


Looks like a Lightsphere in their eyes

Gee how'd you guess....

I think the car made a cool prop too. The original plan was to meet the group for photos at someones home. This is something we have always done, and the shots are usually taken in a living room or backyard. When the guy said we could use the car, I had to think of someplace nearby for him to bring it. Not wanting him to have to drive too far I just asked that he meet us down the street at the electric co. parking lot. I am not too crazy about the building, but I have seen worse!!!

jeffreaux2

Elaine wrote:

Jeff,

I love these! What great costumes and the car was the perfect addition. They're definitely more than snapshots. IMO, the shot and processing on the first one of your daughter is stellar, but I like the variety you presented. What a fun group. Love the expressions in 5 & 6.

Was the Lightsphere in use here, also? With a gel? Pointed right at them with the cap on?

Yes.... Lightsphere with a gel pointed straight ahead. I wasn't thrilled with most of the full length shots....more my shooting angle than anything else.
I had one shot where the lightsphere reflected in the vent window as I leaned in to get a shot like #6, but otherwise no real problems with the attatchment. Out of all the pics there were maybe two that had hot spots...or shiny spots.....on their faces that should be fixed, and one pair of reddish eyes. Red eyes ought to be a big hazard using it pointed straight, but still having some daylight helped in that respect.

jeffreaux2

Photosbychuck wrote:

I love all of the photos GREAT job.
I bet they had a blast at the party.

Did the other parents what to buy prints of the photos from you?

We have know most of these kids for a long time now. THey all know that I will upload them to a gallery as soon as possible. Out of 7 seniors there last night, I am supposed to be shooting Sr pics of 5 of them. Yes one parent asked if she could buy from me instead of buying at the dance. She wasn't aware that I have never charged for things like this, and always offer them at cost through my site. It is one of the things( they are only really snapshots anyway) I give away.

urbanaries

These are fantastic! I am just blown away by #5, the DOF, her attitude, the processing. Did you just desaturate or did you combine that with a sepia/monotone? It couldn't be more perfect for the mood. Lovely!

jeffreaux2

urbanaries wrote:

These are fantastic! I am just blown away by #5, the DOF, her attitude, the processing. Did you just desaturate or did you combine that with a sepia/monotone? It couldn't be more perfect for the mood. Lovely!

Thanks Lynne......

Most were treated to a treatment similar to the first one in lightroom first. I then played around with dupes of some of them. That one was desaturated, and then a sepia filter applied.

She is, and has always been a ham for the camera. If I am at a school event with the camera, I will sooner or later scan the crowd and as soon as I see her she is uaually already posed and waiting for her picture to be taken!!:D ....or sneaking into someone elase photo.

I will be doing her Sr portraits soon.

BTW......I took this one just for you!!!

zoomer

Sweet. My favorite is 5 followed by 3.
This is the good stuff..when you can get out and take professional quality picture of your kids events....it just doesn't get any better.

Very nice work!!

Elaine

I've enjoyed viewing these again!

Just wondered...when you use the gel with your flash, are you keeping it in place with the attached diffuser plate or something different?

I was confused by something you mentioned about gels somewhere...I think you said "1/2 CTO (blue)". How does CTO = blue? Maybe I misread or maybe it was a typo...CTB? Are you finding that CTB gels work best for outside flash work?

Tessa HD

those are great - i think #5 is my favorite.

jeffreaux2

zoomer wrote:

Sweet. My favorite is 5 followed by 3.
This is the good stuff..when you can get out and take professional quality picture of your kids events....it just doesn't get any better.

Very nice work!!

Thanks zoomer.....

It is indeed a blast to mix my passion with their events and goings on.
Thanks for commenting.

jeffreaux2

Elaine wrote:

I've enjoyed viewing these again!

Just wondered...when you use the gel with your flash, are you keeping it in place with the attached diffuser plate or something different?

I was confused by something you mentioned about gels somewhere...I think you said "1/2 CTO (blue)". How does CTO = blue? Maybe I misread or maybe it was a typo...CTB? Are you finding that CTB gels work best for outside flash work?

Sorry Elaine. Probably wasn't a typo, but just a regular mistake...like those a typical 40 year old makes.

Let me clear it up!!!

I am NOT using the built in diffuser to hold the gel. This works ok if the wind isn't too strong with a bare flash, but will NOT work with the lightsphere. The built in diffuser cannot be deployed with the lightsphere attatched. I have had to more closely trim the gel and use a couple pieces of tape to stick it in place over the flash lens and then slide the LS on over it. (I will take a few photos, and post them here when I get a chance.)

It is NOT a CTO....lol....It is a 1/2 C.T. Blue. It is a LEE Filters No.202 1/2 CT Blue.....Tungsten to daylight 3200K-4300K. I also keep a 3/4 in my bag, but have been perfectly satisfied with the 1/2 for my work which is mostly in shade, or late afternoon.

I hope this helps. I think I am going to get a business card and cut it to the shape I want for a template for gels. The gels cut easy, but are flimsy and slick, and want to walk around a bit when trying to cut them on the flash head.

I hope this clears things up?

Sorry for.......hmmmm.......being 40?.....oh....and please hold the applause for my product photography.


Here is the gel neatly (? ) taped to the flash head.


Here you can see that there is a lip inside the sleeve that prevents the attatchment from swallowing the whole flash. It also prevents you from sliding out the on board diffuser to hold gels.



Lastly, this is where I cut my gel from a LEE sample book. The info for the one I use is legable...I hope. Between my fingers is my own awesome invention. I taped one long end and one short end of two business cards together to form a semi rigid folder to hold the gels in my bag. It requires no room in the bag, and keeps them from getting bent and lost. I usually pop it in a shirt pocket while shooting.

jeffreaux2

Tessa HD wrote:

those are great - i think #5 is my favorite.

Thanks for having a look and commenting Tessa.

will-jum

love 5 (y)

jeffreaux2

will-jum wrote:

love 5 (y)

Thanks Will and welcome to Dgrin!!!:D

#5 seems to be very popular with everyone.

Swartzy

Jeff
I like them all. They are really nice. What fun. They are all so great...Love #5.

ShepsMom

I was looking at LightSphere before, don't know much about, i thought it was one of Gary's marketing "toys" that's all "that!"
So it looks like it works nicely for you, may be i should give it a try. I'm just confused which one to get, clear or cloudy, or white tail, or whatever else he's got there . Any advise?

jeffreaux2

Swartzy wrote:

I like them all. They are really nice. What fun. They are all so great...Love #5.

Thanks for the kind comment!!!

jeffreaux2

ShepsMom wrote:

I was looking at LightSphere before, don't know much about, i thought it was one of Gary's marketing "toys" that's all "that!"
So it looks like it works nicely for you, may be i should give it a try. I'm just confused which one to get, clear or cloudy, or white tail, or whatever else he's got there . Any advise?

My opinion......

is that it is physically larger than many of the diffusers on the market. The best way to diffuse light, is to increase the SIZE of the light source.....like a softbox or umbrella. Without going to a softbox, I thought it might do the trick. I won't tell you to rush out and buy one, I have only used it twice. Most folks...it seems...who have used both prefer the "cloud" version....so I bought cloud....as it seems to be better suited to portraits.

DavidS

The photos, the costumes the car. Wow!!! These are awesome.

jeffreaux2

DavidS wrote:

The photos, the costumes the car. Wow!!! These are awesome.

Hey David Thanks for having a look....AND for the kind comment.

jeffreaux2

Thanks to everyone for the comments. It was a ton of fun, and the more I look at them the more I like the results. I have recieved some encouraging remarks in emails and comments in the gallery from the other kid's parents so all was a success. These types of shoots are very important to my flegling business even if it is all "on the house".


Two more of my baby girl. She finally decided on a college yesterday, and I am bringing her to choose a roomate on Wednesday. (Thank you God)

Travis

Wow! Incredible series. Thanks for sharing the flash gel info also. It looks like the kids had a blast. I'm amazed at how great the customes are. They really went all out!

jeffreaux2

Travis wrote:

Wow! Incredible series. Thanks for sharing the flash gel info also. It looks like the kids had a blast. I'm amazed at how great the customes are. They really went all out!

Thanks for the "Wow!". I appreciate it.

They, of course, were wearing the costumes either way, but the original plan for photos would have looked quite different. WE were originally to meet the group at a friend's home and shoot the photos in the yard, or in the house. The more I think about that, the more I think that the car really REALLY sets these apart from what we normally have done for dances and such. I have always gotten good photos no matter where we are, but this was really a treat. It now has me thinking if I should plan something better than the norm for prom. Maybe just a really nice location for everyone to meet for photos.

As for the gel info....

Everything I know about that I learned right here in this forum. It wouldn't be considered playing fair if I learned something and wasn't willing to share. Folks like Scott Quier, SloYeroll, Urbanaries, Elaine and really ( if your name isn't here, I really apologize) most everyone on the board are all willing to exchange knowledge. I looked back yesterday at some of my first posts here and then look at my more recent work and am floored at how far it has improved. This isn't my only source for learning, but has definately been a MAJOR contributor. Having other points of view on your posted photographs....detailed critiques...is invaluable.

So.....right about now I'd like to see a discussion on indoor gels.....:D
always more to learn!!!

Elaine

I love the new ones of your daughter, especially the first. It's an expression we don't often see from her (in the pics you've shared here anyway) and the colors and angle just make it a real stand-out. The whole series is just fantastic!

I've been thinking of ordering a LS for awhile now, so these have encouraged me to give it a try, as well as some gels. :ivar