Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

OT - Question for you photography buffs out there...

2»

Comments

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    You mean you don't like Time value and Aperture value? Charlatans! All of you!
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    Going to be tough to get into the $500 range with a pro-sumer lens.  It is not a zoom, but the 85 1.8G is a sharp lens.  With a crop body that be equivalent to around 130mm.  Are you wanting a zoom? 

    If not, the 18-200 is good, but like @cazzy said, where do you want to go with this hobby?  Once you start learning more and more you will quickly outgrow your equipment. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    You mean you don't like Time value and Aperture value? Charlatans! All of you!
    Them there's worst than charlatans - they's infidels! Us Canonites know we're in the right!

    And as far as glass is concerned, go long or go home!

    (yeah, this is a rented lens, I couldn't afford the down-payment on this glass)
    image
  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    Killer shot man!
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    I beginning to wonder if I will have to sell an Egg to finance this new hobby... 
    :-S
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    jtippers said:
    I beginning to wonder if I will have to sell an Egg to finance this new hobby... 
    :-S
    Don't sell the Egg…just get a second (or third) job.  Sure you get to spend less time with the new family but just think of all the cool photo gear you can get. :D
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    jtippers said:
    I beginning to wonder if I will have to sell an Egg to finance this new hobby... 
    :-S
    Get proficient with your fifty since it is a portrait lens focal length on a crop sensor. You can do outdoor portrait sessions on the side for pretty good money. My wife's coworker's wife does this with a full time job and did QUITE well last year with her "hobby". Pics don't rival what you've seen here. Great way to build up budget for more toys.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    @New2Q, I can't see EXIF, what lens is that? I'm headed down to Myrtle Beach in July and want to get some marsh/ocean wildlife pics so I'm going to rent a few lenses to test. Your shot is specifically what I'm looking for with a telephoto to get a pelican diving for fish.
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    jtippers said:
    I beginning to wonder if I will have to sell an Egg to finance this new hobby... 
    :-S
    Get proficient with your fifty since it is a portrait lens focal length on a crop sensor. You can do outdoor portrait sessions on the side for pretty good money. My wife's coworker's wife does this with a full time job and did QUITE well last year with her "hobby". Pics don't rival what you've seen here. Great way to build up budget for more toys.
    If you're into that sort of thing.  I just couldn't do it...the coochie coochie coo wasn't for me.  These are 3 of the 8 keepers of the one and only kid photoshoot I did.  Wasn't too bad of an end result...just wasn't for me and felt too much like work.   

    image
    image
    image


    Now I shoot for me...this isn't work, but maybe cause they're my kids.   :D


    image
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    jtippers said:
    I beginning to wonder if I will have to sell an Egg to finance this new hobby... 
    :-S
    Get proficient with your fifty since it is a portrait lens focal length on a crop sensor. You can do outdoor portrait sessions on the side for pretty good money. My wife's coworker's wife does this with a full time job and did QUITE well last year with her "hobby". Pics don't rival what you've seen here. Great way to build up budget for more toys.

    I will echo what @Eggcelsior said.  Get proficient with your gear first, especially with the fifty.  Learn your camera to where you can work the tool with the lights off. Try to ween off Aperture priority to all manual.  Take a piece of paper and tape over your viewfinder to not chimp.  Get the exposure right by reading your meter as well as assessing the conditions and compensating with fill light accordingly.  A lens and or camera can only do so much.  The fifty is one of the most widely used lenses for portraits. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    Nice shot @New2Q even if it was shot with a Canon! 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
  • Thievery
    Thievery Posts: 37
    edited April 2014
    Going to be tough to get into the $500 range with a pro-sumer lens.  It is not a zoom, but the 85 1.8G is a sharp lens.  With a crop body that be equivalent to around 130mm.  Are you wanting a zoom? 

    If not, the 18-200 is good, but like @cazzy said, where do you want to go with this hobby?  Once you start learning more and more you will quickly outgrow your equipment. 

    Get this lens.  You've got babies/toddlers to shoot?  As you've experienced with the 50 1.8; fast shutter speed is critical. Get used to not using the flash... this lens hunts for low light
    Just use your feet as your zoom and focus on perfecting your craft.  Best bang for your buck.  

    You said you like bokeh?  Both these shot with a Canon 85 mm wide open at 1.8:

    image

    image
    BGE in the ATX
  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
  • Searat
    Searat Posts: 80
    And you haven't even gotten to polarizing len add-ons for outdoor shooting. Can we pick expensive loves or what. Cannon guy here with a few lens over the years but I would trade the photos and the memories for the money I spent. Your heart is in the right place. One  more note, around Christmas, some great sales get offered. If you can wait for some of the toys, you may get a little more bang.
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    @New2Q, I can't see EXIF, what lens is that? I'm headed down to Myrtle Beach in July and want to get some marsh/ocean wildlife pics so I'm going to rent a few lenses to test. Your shot is specifically what I'm looking for with a telephoto to get a pelican diving for fish.
    Here's the EXIF on that shot:

    Full EXIF Info
    Date/Time14-Apr-2007 13:12:34
    MakeCanon
    ModelCanon EOS-1D Mark II
    Flash UsedNo
    Focal Length600 mm
    Exposure Time1/2000 sec
    Aperturef/4
    ISO Equivalent100
    Exposure Bias-2/3
    White Balance
    Metering Modematrix (5)
    JPEG Quality
    Exposure Programaperture priority (3)
    Focus Distance


    And it was a rented 600mm f4L non-IS lens.  I rented it from Light Tec here in Dallas.

    I was shooting with it on a Bogen/Manfrotto monopod.  My number one piece of advice is to try and rent it before you need it for the Myrtle Beach trip just to get some practice.  It took me a few hours of shooting to get a feel for how best to manage that beast.  Good luck and have fun on your trip.
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    And I do like the wide end of the spectrum as much as the telepho end:

    image


    Full EXIF Info
    Date/Time20-Apr-2010 21:41:13
    MakeCanon
    ModelCanon EOS-1D Mark II
    Flash UsedNo
    Focal Length16 mm
    Exposure Time1/125 sec
    Aperturef/4
    ISO Equivalent50
    Exposure Bias
    White Balance
    Metering Modematrix (5)
    JPEG Quality
    Exposure Programprogram (1)
    Focus Distance

  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    Just have to take a second and say thanks to all of you guys for the information and guidance. I think I will hold off on the additional lens purchase and learn some more about my camera and how it works first.

    I took to YouTube last night and found some informative videos about shooting in manual mode and the exposure triangle. Wow, I really learned a lot! I will try this a while without a flash, then maybe add a flash after I am comfortable with it. THEN, look into getting some new glass.

    As always, this forum is a wealth of information! THANKS AGAIN!!!

    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
    @jtippers One guy I really like and follow is Jim Harmer out of Idaho.  He runs a site called ImprovePhotography.com and he also offers classes, cheap.  He has a podcast that I enjoy as well as updates to the site all the time. 

    The 85mm 1.8G I noted earlier if you did want that would be a great lens if you truly wanted a nice portrait lens and will work on FX if you were to ever convert.  The 18-200 will not as its only a DX lens. 

    Photo classes site:
    http://photoclasses.com/

    Main site:
    http://improvephotography.com/
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    If you want to get good... shoot, a lot.

    Def try to learn to be comfortable shooting in Manual or Aperture modes... Primes will help you to learn composition, zooming with your feet, and filling the frame. Get comfortable recognizing def types of natural light before moving on to flash(not saying don't use the pop up if you need to capture a moment, as it is preferable to not getting anything)... Using flash units and modifiers are a whole other level of skill after you're pretty comfortable with your camera and lenses.

    Take classes, or begin teaching your self at least the basics of post work... The goal is always to get the best images in the camera at the time of creation, but 99.9% of images you see have had post work of some type to varying degrees. Post work is part of the art and the final image matching your vision is the end goal.

    Some of the favorite and most compelling images are not "technically" sound images, out of focus, noisy, uncomfortable composition, etc... but they make the viewer pause and think, hold their attention for a few heartbeats more... Those are the image you are after, no matter what camera, lens, or equipment you are using...

    Welcome to the club... have fun and don't stress too much. Focus on the results and not the gear... My favorite images have come using 30year old Minolta glass, my RX100 Point n Shoot, and the always with me, iPhone5S  

    Follow your vision, don't become a slave to gear or rules... and remember that like most other pursuits, there will be times when interest wanes a little bit (like writers block) and that's okay too, the gear will be there waiting for your to come and pick it up again...

    Here are a few portraits and candid shots I've done over the years with various equipment...

    Sony F-717... Fancy P&S
    image


    image


    image

    This one was with the flash gun bounce of the wall to my right in my parent's dinning room...

    image

    With a wide angle 20mm(30 on crop) lens

    image

    50/1.7

    image

    50/1.7

    image

    50/1.7

    image

    RX100...

    image
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Great advice Hap! Love the pics...especially the wide angle shot of your daughter!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    Awesome advice! Man that shot of the baby in the isolet the NICU brings back some scary memories about my babies after they were born early. I wish I had been into photography then. That was some ups and downs worthy of publishing.
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    jtippers said:
    Awesome advice! Man that shot of the baby in the isolet the NICU brings back some scary memories about my babies after they were born early. I wish I had been into photography then. That was some ups and downs worthy of publishing.
    Thanks... Yes, it was scarey at times. Elise was in the NICU for 130 days after being born 1lb-9oz at 26 weeks... I was shooting film then; but quickly switched to digital after realizing that my film and development costs would like skyrocket trying to keep up with my new family :) I actually did publish a book of the first 5 years of her life... Only ever printed one copy for her on her 5th birthday...

    http://www.blurb.com/books/394683-a-little-family

    Better late than never getting started... Good luck :)
  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    @hapster - That is an amazing story with a very happy pause... Beautiful Pictures!

    I gotta be honest, I got a little teary eyed looking at all of your NICU pics. Brought back a flood of my own memories. Our boys were born at 32 weeks. One weighed 2lb 12oz and the other 3lb 14oz. Both spent a month in the NICU at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. I am convinced that those NICU nurses have earned a special place in Heaven. Our smallest boy (Levi) stopped breathing one day while we were there visiting, wifey and I about lost all composure while one of the nurses walked over to his isolet and calmly worked with him until he "remembered" to breath again. Amazing people.
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    jtippers said:
    @hapster - That is an amazing story with a very happy pause... Beautiful Pictures!

    I gotta be honest, I got a little teary eyed looking at all of your NICU pics. Brought back a flood of my own memories. Our boys were born at 32 weeks. One weighed 2lb 12oz and the other 3lb 14oz. Both spent a month in the NICU at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. I am convinced that those NICU nurses have earned a special place in Heaven. Our smallest boy (Levi) stopped breathing one day while we were there visiting, wifey and I about lost all composure while one of the nurses walked over to his isolet and calmly worked with him until he "remembered" to breath again. Amazing people.
    Thanks :)

    I agree... those nurses are amazing. Always calm amid the beeping and buzzing of monitors and alarms. They showed us, although very small, these little babies are a lot tougher than they appear :)