Hi to all
I'm a beginner and excited to start commercial photography, but not as a main proffession but as a complement to my current business.
We've been doing webdesign for 8 years for small companies mostly. The last months I have rearranged the company with new mentality and strategies, which resulted, beside other things, on wanting to offer VR panoramic pictures..., but this is not why I'm here.., but because then we realized that we needed to offer also some Business Photo Shoots to customers who don't have pictures of their company, that is, offices, facilities personnel, etc. for us to use on their website creation.
We don't know photography at all, well, the last days I have read a little bit so I'm aware of some things, but juuust the theory and we haven't even practice any shooting yet.
So, despite our devaluated Peso(Mexico) we proceeded to purchase equipment, what we tought apropiate for our plans and after researching on the internet.
We already have:
- Nikon D80 with 18-135mm
- Flash SB600
- Simple tripod
- Vol 1 and 2 of Digital Photography.(not yet read entirely)
So, the reason for this post is actually to ask you some guidence about:
what additional equipment?
what other books or websites for tips and tutorials that help us with our plans?
(BTW, for the VR panoramas we're going to buy some other equipment but this is another topic)
For the following intentions/plans:
We want to be able to shoot photos at our customers locations, that is, offices, business environments, corporate, suites, secretaries, executives, workshops, assembly lines, building exteriors, business portraits, groups, equipment and tools(conceptual style, not catalog style), house exteriors and interiors, etc. etc.
We want to create the usual type of pics you'll find if you search business related keywords on some Photos websites(gettyimages, corbis, photos, etc.).
No weddings, Landscapes, etc.
We don't only want to do this...
BUT THIS..., we want the customer to say Wow!, is that us?
So far I have found that the key here, for the kind of pics we want to achieve at least, is the use of light and Flash.
Guess I will need at least:
- A round (multi face if possible) reflector with its stand
- A stand for the wireless Flash
- An Omni light diffuser cap for the SB600
In my opinon that would be enough to go at the customer's place and start shooting.
Is it? I mean, Flash for Light source and diffusers to use as we need it, then, the skill to take the good angles and exposure settings.
We are on a hurry btw, need to practice as soon as possible to check the results, we are patience but we need some kind of straight to the point guidence.
The Digital Photography books seem good but I haven't read them completely, actually.
I want to have a book at a side and start the first shooting practice, step by step.
So one night at my office decided to start already at least with myself(timer), I set up the Nikon D80 on the tripod, took the SB600 Flash, followed the manual, atached it to the camera, I took some random pics to the office, it flashed, I already new that I need the Flash wirelessy and at my side, so I took the Flash manual.. hmm.., then the Camera manual... hmm... huh.., the what?? returned to Flash manual, fliped back and forth, I saw something about it but realized it had been 30-40mins!!. Horrible Manuals!, period.
Took the Digital Photography Vol 1 by Scott Kelby, I thougt, "hey.., I just want to start, maybe it also says how to set the Flash wirelessly...", so read/scanned a little bit, it started with how to take Sharp pics, which is good but not needed at the moment, then with flowers, I didn't want flowers but I thought it will tell me somewhere how to set up the Flash.
But like 90% of some initial pages were pure chat and jokes, 90%!, which is ok to have a relaxed photoshoot..., but I don't have time and just wanted to set up the Flash so I could take some self portrait photos.
So I left everything there and ran to Barnes and Noble just to check some books according to my needs at the moment.
I looked for books that helped me to understand the D80 functions and another one that takes me step by step shooting photos from basic to advanced. Then I planned to buy them on Amazon.
These seemed fine:
Nikon D80 Digital Field Guide
Lighting Photo Workshop (I liked how it showed the Exposure settings on each example)
I haven't read them nor bought them.
Sorry for the long post.
Any help is apreciated on what could I need and/or where to start for some quick basics to Flash and light manipulation focused on Business portrait photo takes.
Salutes
Giorgio
I'm a beginner and excited to start commercial photography, but not as a main proffession but as a complement to my current business.
We've been doing webdesign for 8 years for small companies mostly. The last months I have rearranged the company with new mentality and strategies, which resulted, beside other things, on wanting to offer VR panoramic pictures..., but this is not why I'm here.., but because then we realized that we needed to offer also some Business Photo Shoots to customers who don't have pictures of their company, that is, offices, facilities personnel, etc. for us to use on their website creation.
We don't know photography at all, well, the last days I have read a little bit so I'm aware of some things, but juuust the theory and we haven't even practice any shooting yet.
So, despite our devaluated Peso(Mexico) we proceeded to purchase equipment, what we tought apropiate for our plans and after researching on the internet.
We already have:
- Nikon D80 with 18-135mm
- Flash SB600
- Simple tripod
- Vol 1 and 2 of Digital Photography.(not yet read entirely)
So, the reason for this post is actually to ask you some guidence about:
what additional equipment?
what other books or websites for tips and tutorials that help us with our plans?
(BTW, for the VR panoramas we're going to buy some other equipment but this is another topic)
For the following intentions/plans:
We want to be able to shoot photos at our customers locations, that is, offices, business environments, corporate, suites, secretaries, executives, workshops, assembly lines, building exteriors, business portraits, groups, equipment and tools(conceptual style, not catalog style), house exteriors and interiors, etc. etc.
We want to create the usual type of pics you'll find if you search business related keywords on some Photos websites(gettyimages, corbis, photos, etc.).
No weddings, Landscapes, etc.
We don't only want to do this...
BUT THIS..., we want the customer to say Wow!, is that us?
So far I have found that the key here, for the kind of pics we want to achieve at least, is the use of light and Flash.
Guess I will need at least:
- A round (multi face if possible) reflector with its stand
- A stand for the wireless Flash
- An Omni light diffuser cap for the SB600
In my opinon that would be enough to go at the customer's place and start shooting.
Is it? I mean, Flash for Light source and diffusers to use as we need it, then, the skill to take the good angles and exposure settings.
We are on a hurry btw, need to practice as soon as possible to check the results, we are patience but we need some kind of straight to the point guidence.
The Digital Photography books seem good but I haven't read them completely, actually.
I want to have a book at a side and start the first shooting practice, step by step.
So one night at my office decided to start already at least with myself(timer), I set up the Nikon D80 on the tripod, took the SB600 Flash, followed the manual, atached it to the camera, I took some random pics to the office, it flashed, I already new that I need the Flash wirelessy and at my side, so I took the Flash manual.. hmm.., then the Camera manual... hmm... huh.., the what?? returned to Flash manual, fliped back and forth, I saw something about it but realized it had been 30-40mins!!. Horrible Manuals!, period.
Took the Digital Photography Vol 1 by Scott Kelby, I thougt, "hey.., I just want to start, maybe it also says how to set the Flash wirelessly...", so read/scanned a little bit, it started with how to take Sharp pics, which is good but not needed at the moment, then with flowers, I didn't want flowers but I thought it will tell me somewhere how to set up the Flash.
But like 90% of some initial pages were pure chat and jokes, 90%!, which is ok to have a relaxed photoshoot..., but I don't have time and just wanted to set up the Flash so I could take some self portrait photos.
So I left everything there and ran to Barnes and Noble just to check some books according to my needs at the moment.
I looked for books that helped me to understand the D80 functions and another one that takes me step by step shooting photos from basic to advanced. Then I planned to buy them on Amazon.
These seemed fine:
Nikon D80 Digital Field Guide
Lighting Photo Workshop (I liked how it showed the Exposure settings on each example)
I haven't read them nor bought them.
Sorry for the long post.
Any help is apreciated on what could I need and/or where to start for some quick basics to Flash and light manipulation focused on Business portrait photo takes.
Salutes
Giorgio
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