1st attempt w/ off camera flash and my daughters

i like the entire set but #3 makes it for me. love the pose and the capture of the eyes.

ChuckingFluff wrote in post #11326663
What an awesome set of pics and who says an XT can't be used for taking professional looking pictures. You've just proved it's the photographer that makes the pictures not the gear.

WOW, thanks for the feedback!!!

Beautiful set IMHO

I say good job, too! And I like the color just fine (better than the B&W, though it's always fun to add one conversion to a set.) So -- were those taken with your Tamron or 50?

ChuckingFluff wrote in post #11326663
..... I always find B&W is a cop out for people that can't get the color right,.

WOW!!!

First time I ever heard that one!

First off, unless there's an incorrect setting, color - especially when processed into a jpeg in the camera is a function of the camera, not the photographer. I have never heard of anyone who "can't get the color right" Seriously - you wrote that and believe it?

Color (unless the exposure is horribly off) can be easily adjusted with the most basic free software - Also if color is off, it's most often something simple like incorrect white balance. People set it and then forget they custom set it indoors and then use it outdoors or with a flash - mistakes anyone can make that have nothing to do with ability. Shooting in RAW may make fixing bad color more flexible, but even a JPEG out-of-camera can almost always be corrected enough to be at least acceptable.

Every brand of camera seems to have its own color characteristics. If you don't like the in-camera processing of brand X but like brand Y, then use brand Y - No skill required in choosing a camera that produces colors of a personal preference.

-Shooting in black and white takes real skill - it requires the understanding of light and shadow and contrast - it's something you need to see in your mind's eye before you press the shutter button, unlike shooting color where "what you see is what you get" - no surprises, all wrapped up with a pretty bow in advance.

Ever heard of the artistic technique called "chiaroscuro"? When I was in film school I had two courses that were essentially based on that one technique alone. One of which required me to draw with charcoal and also with pencil and paper (I had my pretty color crayons when I was in kindergarten) - my drawing talent was very limited to say the least - but I quickly learned that wasn't really important - Although I did improve over time. (good instructors know how to teach)

....those courses probably did more for me than anything else in a very long formal education in photography followed by over 40 years working in film and TV - ultimately finding my niche in lighting.

So my response to the quoted statement above can only be:

Anyone who can't shoot black and white and use light properly to create depth, dimension and drama can "cop out" and shoot color -just get the light nice and even - make sure there are no nasty shadows, and yeah - everything will look great. And excruciatingly boring since everything will look as dramatic as the lighting does on a TV talk show.

There's an old and often repeated saying in the world of photography - I have noticed that more than one person here uses it as their signature.

"Amateurs worry about equipment. Professionals worry about money. Masters worry about light". (Anon.)

No mention of color -

Another of my favorite photography quotes is:
“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” —Ansel Adams





Peace,
D.

I love number 3! It's cute! I think they're good for a 1st try!

YankeeMom wrote in post #11334637
So -- were those taken with your Tamron or 50?

Taken with the Tamron

kyle_4375 wrote in post #11335736
Taken with the Tamron

That's great to know -- I've had that non-IS version on my radar for awhile (to replace the kit lens, 18-55.) I haven't seen many samples with it and I compare everything, photo-quality-wise, to my 50. I feel better about getting that (but it will be awhile.) Thanks.