So I have another question. A friend of mine is planning to have her baby at a birth center instead of a hospital. Low lights, calm atmosphere, "at home" feel to the room, etc. She has asked me to record it in pictures. This isn't something she is paying me to do, just one best friend to another sort of thing. So… I know I will need to buy equipment for it and it's coming out of my pocket. Luckily I have until January to buy anything I will need and practice. I'm sure the lights will be low or just lamps on for most of her labor. I need to be able to get some great shots without being too noticeable..Any tips you can offer to be able to blend in would be great. She wants pictures taken but she is also really big on not being distracted while laboring. I have an external flash (sb 400) for my D40 and I'm sure I can use that *some* but the least amount the better. There are no windows that I know of in the room and she usually goes into labor and has her babies within a few hours in the middle of the night anyway.
Any tips, tricks, links or suggestions are appreciated!!!
best idea i can think of as to being invisible is having a telephoto lens with a wide open aperture. maybe pick up a 100mm f/1.8 lens or something. (idk nikkor lenses)
Can you think of anything else I might want to start shopping for? All I could think of is needing a new lens, I couldn't think of anything else I would need.
There's a photographer out of the Dallas Fort Worth area that does AMAZING birth photography. She wants something like that though I told her this was a professional and I am absolutely not. LOL.
I'm going to agree with the lens, however I'd go with a 50 mm unless you're going to be standing further away. A 50 mm 1.8 for my canon was $75ish? It is a FABULOUS lens for my purposes. You probably wouldn't need a flash at all with it; set the aperture to 1.8 in av mode and let it go.
Two very important things you need for this type of thing. A very fast lens and a good light diffuser.
A 1.8 nikkor is unfortunately going to run you north of $100, but I would highly recommend spending the most your budget will allow and snagging the best 50 or 85mm nikkor you can with either a 1.8 or a 1.4 aperture. Both are excellent portrait lenses though the 50mm is generally more versatile for closer quarters photography. The aperture will be needed to make up for the fact that the D40's ISO performance is not up to the challenge of serious low light shooting. You're going to be limited to 200 or 400 ISO to avoid serious granulation in the blacks.
A good light diffuser will allow soften the light off of your flash so that it will not be harsh on your subjects and help to eliminate both harsh shadows behind them and the chances of red eye, which increases drastically in low light conditions with any body mounted flash.
With a good light diffuser and a 50mm 1.8 nikkor you should be able to set the camera on manual and do some test shots in the room before you really get started. ISO 200, F1.8, and then take a few test shots to find a good range for your shutter speed. Test without flash. This should make the vast majority of your shots attainable without the flash at all. For those times when your subject is overly shadowed, such as the light source being obscured or behind your subject, turn the flash on, with it stopped down about -2/3 to -1. This will produce a soft flash that will throw just enough fill light onto your subject to keep it out of the shadows.
your flash should be good I would point it up at the ceiling to get a larger light source (assuming it is white) If possible take that light and radio trigger with cheap ebay triggers that way the light is on a stand and will be consistent throughout your shots. I would also get the 50mm 1.8 or if budget allows 1.4 If you don't feel like being that close look at the 85mm. You might want to look at another Strobe to put up on a stand opposite corner of the SB400 this would give you the best light coverage for the given event.
so for my suggestion your get list is:
ebay trigger Cactus v2
umbrella swivel
light stand
(should be able to get all this for under $150 usd)
up option.
double the triggers
double the stand
double the swivel
add second light source about 150-200 on ebay used
yeah our hobby is not cheap, and this is the cheap version.
for the stands and such you can try this place for starving student rates and decent equipment: One Light Stand Kit
Also what is the name of the pro show shoots this stuff? I would ask them advice. See if they have a FB, blog, flickr, etc and start doing some better research from the pro. I would hope that the pro would be helpful, especially if you are not in their area. I am interested in seeing the work so if you could share the name, it would be appreciated.
I just looked at the site and was blown away with the photos, such emotion. I think the power of those photos lies more in the subject matter, less on technical skills.
I would recommend getting used to burst mode, i think thats what it is called, 4 or 5 shots in a row real quick.
Also treat it a bit like you would a wedding, speak to the couple and get a list of must take shots and get a copy of their birth plan so you know what ot expect.
I think that during labour the mother wont notice you too much and the fact tthat she wants you there means that if you keep the flash to a minimum and use a diffuser you should be right.
I seccond getting a good lens, jeff O listed soem great ones that i would use.
My mom took photographs at my homebirths... My advice would be to really tiptoe around during labor, but once she hits the transition and pushing phases, don't worry about irritating her - she won't notice you! Burst mode for sure, and get those shots any way you have to - I know my mom was RIGHT THERE, but once I saw the pics I didn't care at all. If you can, also see if you can get into the birth center before hand so you know where you can sit, stand and how your camera will turn out pics for you so you can tweak settings if need be.
Valerie I'm a newbie so I hope you won't mind my 2cents worth. Unless you are right into Photography, this cost may become more than you want to outlay,
so I wondered if you have considered hiring any of the recommended items.
On the other hand - you may be glad to outlay and have these items for your use
on/at further events.
Gosh you may even become in demand, as a referred Birth Photographer.
I wish you Best Wishes for the event.
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Can you think of anything else I might want to start shopping for? All I could think of is needing a new lens, I couldn't think of anything else I would need.
A 1.8 nikkor is unfortunately going to run you north of $100, but I would highly recommend spending the most your budget will allow and snagging the best 50 or 85mm nikkor you can with either a 1.8 or a 1.4 aperture. Both are excellent portrait lenses though the 50mm is generally more versatile for closer quarters photography. The aperture will be needed to make up for the fact that the D40's ISO performance is not up to the challenge of serious low light shooting. You're going to be limited to 200 or 400 ISO to avoid serious granulation in the blacks.
A good light diffuser will allow soften the light off of your flash so that it will not be harsh on your subjects and help to eliminate both harsh shadows behind them and the chances of red eye, which increases drastically in low light conditions with any body mounted flash.
With a good light diffuser and a 50mm 1.8 nikkor you should be able to set the camera on manual and do some test shots in the room before you really get started. ISO 200, F1.8, and then take a few test shots to find a good range for your shutter speed. Test without flash. This should make the vast majority of your shots attainable without the flash at all. For those times when your subject is overly shadowed, such as the light source being obscured or behind your subject, turn the flash on, with it stopped down about -2/3 to -1. This will produce a soft flash that will throw just enough fill light onto your subject to keep it out of the shadows.
so for my suggestion your get list is:
ebay trigger Cactus v2
umbrella swivel
light stand
(should be able to get all this for under $150 usd)
up option.
double the triggers
double the stand
double the swivel
add second light source about 150-200 on ebay used
new lense :
nikkor 50mm 1.8
nikkor 50mm 1.4
nikkor 85mm 1.8
nikkor 85mm 1.4
yeah our hobby is not cheap, and this is the cheap version.
for the stands and such you can try this place for starving student rates and decent equipment: One Light Stand Kit
Also what is the name of the pro show shoots this stuff? I would ask them advice. See if they have a FB, blog, flickr, etc and start doing some better research from the pro. I would hope that the pro would be helpful, especially if you are not in their area. I am interested in seeing the work so if you could share the name, it would be appreciated.
Here's the photographer that I was talking about before,
www.dfwbirthphotographer.com
I would recommend getting used to burst mode, i think thats what it is called, 4 or 5 shots in a row real quick.
Also treat it a bit like you would a wedding, speak to the couple and get a list of must take shots and get a copy of their birth plan so you know what ot expect.
I think that during labour the mother wont notice you too much and the fact tthat she wants you there means that if you keep the flash to a minimum and use a diffuser you should be right.
I seccond getting a good lens, jeff O listed soem great ones that i would use.
HTH
so I wondered if you have considered hiring any of the recommended items.
On the other hand - you may be glad to outlay and have these items for your use
on/at further events.
Gosh you may even become in demand, as a referred Birth Photographer.
I wish you Best Wishes for the event.
I think I'm going to go forward with investing the $ into the equipment. ( If I talk my husband into it.. LOL)