Advice for first photoshoot with handbag models and single flash.

[matrix311]

As the title says, tomorrow is my first photoshoot. This is my first contracted shoot with 4 models each holding a handbag. This handbag company hired me to take photos with the models so they can post them on their new website. I'm pretty nervous and I was wondering if there was a checklist of things I should look at prior to the shoot?

The lenses I have are the following:
24-70mm f/2.8L
50mm f/1.8
70-200mm f/4L IS USM
one single 430EX Flash
tripod.

Most of the shots will be at dusk and during the evening around some old buildings with neon lights. I went out this evening for a test shoot with my wife and most of the photos were washed out by the flash. I'm new to flash photograhy so any pointers are greatly apprecaited. The flash is on the camera as I dont have a wireless transmitter to relocate the flash. So I have to work with on camera flash.

Any tips or tricks or quick tutorials would be greatly appreciated. I'll be using the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for most of the shoot and maybe the 50mm on a few shots. My biggest problem is the flash and trying to tone it down a bit so it doesn't wash out the photo. How would I do that?

Thanks again for reading and any tips or tricks are greatly appreciated.

Eric

[Benji]

You are in deep trouble. If the shoot is this evening and you waited until last night to experiment and the experiment was a failure I would pray for rain so they would have to postpone it giving you more time to get it right.

Benji

[breathless]

Put the thing in full auto.

[matrix311]

You are in deep trouble. If the shoot is this evening and you waited until last night to experiment and the experiment was a failure I would pray for rain so they would have to postpone it giving you more time to get it right.

Benji

I live in the desert so unless a miracle happens it wont rain here. As far as last minute, this was a last minute contact. They called me on Wednesday afternoon to see if I could do this today so I didn't have much preparation. It's pretty much TFP and the company is giving me tickets to an upcoming event in return for pictures. If they arent happy with the photos they can suck it. If they were paying me cash it would be another story and I would have turned down the job.

[matrix311]

You are in deep trouble. If the shoot is this evening and you waited until last night to experiment and the experiment was a failure I would pray for rain so they would have to postpone it giving you more time to get it right.

Benji

Well my first official shoot is over. I've got a few pics uploaded. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Gallery here http://www.esimaging.net/Professional/Holrbak-Handbags/9832379_gLGeu

http://www.esimaging.net/photos/668379277_uCGeP-XL.jpg

http://www.esimaging.net/photos/668400219_h6tkt-L.jpg

http://www.esimaging.net/photos/668397572_jWzPg-L.jpg

http://www.esimaging.net/photos/668305071_wmNxh-L.jpg

http://www.esimaging.net/photos/668401315_mALEe-L.jpg

http://www.esimaging.net/photos/668372697_YBrHF-L.jpg

[tfizzle]

first one is ok. You cut off her foot and hair.

The second is suppose to be about bags right? Well having the image at a tilt, with a lot of BG and the tank takes away from selling bags. In fact, it's hard to tell if she even has a bag. At first glance it looks like it's part of her shirt/wardrobe.

[matrix311]

first one is ok. You cut off her foot and hair.

The second is suppose to be about bags right? Well having the image at a tilt, with a lot of BG and the tank takes away from selling bags. In fact, it's hard to tell if she even has a bag. At first glance it looks like it's part of her shirt/wardrobe.

good call on the train shot

how does this one look?

http://eschlaht.smugmug.com/photos/669866358_q67zv-L.jpg

[tfizzle]

I like that one. Maybe break it up into two different pictures? It almost looks like two separate images anyway.

[rgrebby]

website is down?

[npompei]

Looks great to me!

[GerVaj08]

Very nice for last mins!Love them photos.

[matrix311]

thanks :)

[PMCphotography]

Not too bad, but the flash shadow behind the models isn't great.

Despite the limitations, they turned out very well.

[kkamin]

I like #57 a lot. I think if the bags were somehow separated from everything things else a touch, it would be perfect.

[matrix311]

thank you again! Great advice.

[vk2gwk]

Amazing result with on camera flash....

[Mike T.M.]

What did you use for pp i.e. for the skin...so smooth looking

[matrix311]

What did you use for pp i.e. for the skin...so smooth looking

Mike - I used Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 for all the skin tone adjustments and smoothing. I used Nik define for noise reduction and I used Nik Sharpener for output sharpening. All was done in Lightroom/Nik Software Plugins.

[wamguy89]

Wow, these are great! Nice work!

[Gr8outdrsmn]

You did a good job, especially considering the last minute limitations! Keep up the good work.

[Tjalfe]

Great work considering the circumstances and you experience! :)

[Phrasikleia]

Seems to me that the whimsy of the bags would be best brought out by having the models wear them cross-body (as many women do wear their handbags), which is how a guitar strap is always worn.