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I was wondering whether any foot photographers could advise me on which lenses to use when doing a shoot.
I'm looking at getting a Nikon D3300 that comes with a 18-55mm Single VR II Lens Kit. I've been told that this lens is good for portraits, but is it good for foot shots?
Cheers,
SSK.
[ December 31, 2015, 01:03 AM: Message edited by: The Shoe Store Kid ]
Posts: 760 | Registered: Oct 2004
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The simpler the better I have been coming out to find for general foot pics. I tend to over analyze the shots but really something that has sharp focus (rather than great bokeh like I like) is best. I think Patrick still uses the 18-55mm kit lens on his Canon? I use an 18-135mm STM on mine.Anything much more than 85mm is useless for feet and faces.
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Join thousands of our fans on Twitter @Norcalfeetdotco Posts: 18302 | Registered: Apr 2003
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For the last couple of years I've been using a refurbished D-3200 with the stock 18-55mm lens, and I'm very happy with it. Some folks go out and buy the best equipment there is, and that's OK if you can afford it, but to me, how you choose to light your subject and the angles that you take, is what matters most.
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I have a D3300 and I like to use a 50 mm manual-focus lens. I like to adjust the focus myself although some shots end up blurry even when they appear to be focused in the viewfinder.
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quote:Originally posted by Fair Adam: For the last couple of years I've been using a refurbished D-3200 with the stock 18-55mm lens, and I'm very happy with it. Some folks go out and buy the best equipment there is, and that's OK if you can afford it, but to me, how you choose to light your subject and the angles that you take, is what matters most.
I dig your shots Fair Adam, so that's what made me go for the Nikon. I was trying to find a D3200 but the stores don't hold that anymore. The Nikon D3300 seems good, and better than the Canon Eos1200.
Do you have any tips on lighting? I will probably be shooting outside, and I've been having a hell of a time with the harsh light of the sun.
Posts: 760 | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Fair Adam: For the last couple of years I've been using a refurbished D-3200 with the stock 18-55mm lens, and I'm very happy with it. Some folks go out and buy the best equipment there is, and that's OK if you can afford it, but to me, how you choose to light your subject and the angles that you take, is what matters most.
I dig your shots Fair Adam, so that's what made me go for the Nikon. I was trying to find a D3200 but the stores don't hold that anymore. The Nikon D3300 seems good, and better than the Canon Eos1200.
Do you have any tips on lighting? I will probably be shooting outside, and I've been having a hell of a time with the harsh light of the sun.
Shoot in the shade with diffused light from clouds or a low hanging tree. Never shoot in direct sunlight unless the sun is behind you and your model is in front and then shoot in the A.M. or Early P.M. 1-hour before the sun sets.
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Join thousands of our fans on Twitter @Norcalfeetdotco Posts: 18302 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I do like my 18-55mm. I don't see much need for anything else. I have used a 50mm, but I prefer not having to move around as much. With the 50mm, you have to move to exact positions. I also have a 55-250mm that pretty much stays in my bag. I did use it on a waterfall where I couldn't really get into a good position in a set with Nikki. Not my favorite lens though.
As for lighting, I prefer outdoors. I don't mind doing indoor ones, but I like the creativity that comes along with going on little journeys with my models to find interesting places for her to pose. The ladies get a big kick out of their locations too, which is awesome.
Here are some more recent examples of what I shot on my 18-55mm in direct lighting, or on cloudy days (my favorite - it diffuses the light so well).
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The only problem with direct sunlight, is it has a lot of harsh light and jagged shadows that take away from the overall art quality of the shot. In a pinch I will do it but try not to. Cloudy days are wonderful for skin tones and hardly any post production editing of lighting.
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Join thousands of our fans on Twitter @Norcalfeetdotco Posts: 18302 | Registered: Apr 2003
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What Patrick and Norcal are saying about shooting in overcast days is absolutely correct. A nice cloud cover acts as a perfect natural sunlight defuser, so you you don't have to worry about harsh shadows, and the lighting will be even all around. I also hate "washed out" highlights because once you lose high key detail, you never get it back, so if you don't have an overcast sky, finding a shady place is crucial to get good pics. Also make sure that your subject is completely in the shade because if there's any section of your image that has a much lighter or darker value, it's going to be much harder to meter your f-stops properly.
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I have decided to pull some oldies from my files to give you guys some samples of what I'm talking about. When I first stated The Fair, I couldn't afford a studio right away, so I did much more outdoors shooting than I do today.
Here's a good sample of what happens when there's too much discrepancy between highlights and shadows, not a goof look for sweet Irys:
I did these pics of Dee and her sister in the back yard of their Long Island home, and if you notice the second pic, you'll see how there's absolutely no sky color, as I metered the pic for the darker portions of the shooting area. I avoided having to do this just by setting up at an angle where the sky is not a factor in the first pic:
Another way to shoot outdoors is by using natural barriers to the sun. The pics of Erin and Francine were done in the same spot, both on sunny days. The spot is a park on the Hudson River in the New Jersey side, which has the Palisades to the west, which are high bluffs, perfect to shield the sun in summer afternoons.
Sometimes I like to use my strobes, so I can get enough background details on my subjects, and still be able to light them well. These pics of Kaitlyn were done on the inside of a very sunny southern California home, but I wanted the viewer to get a good glimpse of the backyard, so strobes were essential to get this capture:
This pic of Nina Wells was done between two New York City buildings, just using ambient lighting, and a golden reflector screen. Pure simplicity, but very effective:
Lastly, when I shoot outdoors, I always try and do it later in the day if it's at all possible. By shooting late, you don't need to fret about harsh lighting conditions, and in the summer, the golden light of late afternoon cannot be beat; it's simply my favorite. Just make sure that you give yourself enough time to get the shots you need, so make sure you're aware of what time sundown is, and allow for delays. The shots of Jennifer were done near Miami Beach in late spring and because the sun was actually over the horizon when I did these, all I did was open up my lens and shoot.
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Good examples there Adam. I remember when I first started officially shooting (or maybe not) maybe 10-11 years ago I had shot a set completely in harsh midday sun and nothing was usable and had to reschedule a do-over shoot. I realized on my own that hey, those cloudy day photos turn out really awesome!
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Join thousands of our fans on Twitter @Norcalfeetdotco Posts: 18302 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Oh Adam, I just sent you an email about cameras just a few minutes ago before I discovered this post. I actually think what I just read here answered a lot of my questions, lol. Looks like I'm gonna have to look into properly lighting my subjects as that seems to be the main thing. I've been shooting on a camera phone for years now and they actually work really well in good lighting. I also prefer to shoot outdoors because the lighting is so perfect. I just picked up a Canon Rebel T5 hoping to increase my photo/video quality. I have so much to learn about ISO speed and shutter and F stops.
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