Silly Questions...

[LauraM]

So... typically I've taken pictures in the past using live view. I have steady hands and image stabilized lenses but I've heard having the camera up to your face is more steady (naturally) than holding it out for live view and I want to do anything I can to make my images sharper without using a tripod/monopod so I decided to do my first viewfinder only shoot today in Deep Ellum.

The buildings were casting large areas of shade that were perfect for even lighting but every time we would get to the end of a block or between buildings there would be no shade. I was keeping my aperture at about 3.5/4.5 for the DOF, and my iso at 100, so I'd just bump up the shutterspeed to compensate for the extra light when I got into the unshaded spots.

However... I kept forgetting at first to change it because I'm used to the preview of live view... and I only look at the image previews every once in a while. So, like 4 or 5 times during the shoot, I was blowing out my images when I got to the unshaded spots because in those instances I hadn't fixed my shutterspeed to adjust the exposure... and then when I checked the preview I'd be like CRAP! I'd lost a pose due to this.So I understand WHY the images were messed up... I think my issue was that I was so worried about taking too long, that I was going too fast for my own good resulting in such stupid mistakes.

That brings up a whole issue too... I don't want to be rude and check the time too much during a session, but I get so excited and into it that I lose track and ALWAYS go over. Which could bite me later. I don't want customers telling each other: Oh, I only paid for a mini session, but I got 2 hours anyway! If that gets around, people will only buy mini sessions.

So:
How often do you check your previews when you're shooting outdoors? I probably only check 1 or 2 times a pose.
And:
How do you keep your time in check without being rude.

PS:
I am SO long-winded. If you got this far, +10 brownie points for you. :)

[spluloacle]

I don't have an answer for your checking the previews. But I would just have a timer (like I would set my phones timer then I would have it on vibrate so that it would be discreet) Then I would finish up and say ok I have all I need. There is nothing rude about saying that IMO.

[The Loft Studios]

Because I come from the film days, I shot a polaroid or two before I went to film and I treat digital the same. I'll look at the first few images on the LCD screen to make sure my lighting is how I want it, then after that I don't look at it again..... So I could very well shoot an entire session (50-100 images) and never look at the LCD screen again. I feel there's no need to constantly look at the LCD screen once you've gotten your lighting and exposure down, what's the purpose. The few times that I've tutor newbs, I'll ask them why do they constantly look at the screen and usually their answer is typically, "I don't know..."

[Kenski Photo]

SQUINT

Seriously... This is something I learned from my father and uncle. Father shot studio and location shoots for the Cleveland (Ohio) Fire department before becoming a fire fighter and my uncle shot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (newspaper) mainly for their commercial department. One of the tricks they thought me was squinting to see the light.. Doesn't make sense but it works. You can see the shadows easier and I use this in studio work even though I like to shoot with shadows.

Im alittle weird, All the RULES you hear about, I do the opposite most of the time and I get blasted for it. Oh you didn't follow rules of third, You didn't use the appropriate lighting scheme, You can't use a wide angle lens to shoot a person.. blah blah blah.. Rules are meant to be broken.

For the other issue, I always went over my time limit due to my inexperience. Now I look for my shot and take it. I used to fire off 300 shots an hour and buy did I kill my 40D FAST, now I set it up, shoot it, move on. Find out WHAT they want to shoot first and you can plan it around that. If they want TOO much done, ask them for their priority and let them know that you can shoot that no problem and we will check to see if their is time left to shoot the rest. Most of the time, you can get it all done because it goes quickly. I generally still run over by about 15 minutes but I plan for it and really want to give them MORE then what they were expecting. Even for weddings I may be paid for 8-9 hours but I generally show up early and stay late just to get those extra shots in and it pays off. Dont be afraid to go over time but do go crazy with it. I never want to short change a client because they will talk about that more then going over.

[Kenski Photo]

*edit duplicate*

[J Eddington]

Check once for each lighting change. Check again if I get it wrong.

I put the alarm on my cell phone for 15 minutes before the end of the session and then again at the end time.

[TxTowman]

I hook a dog leash to the camera and step on the end to help steady the camera. I also use crossed-sticks. I think using the necessary equipment to get a crisp shot what you should do if you can.

Why not use a tripod or monopod?

[LauraM]

The reason I don't want to use a tripod/monopod... When I'm walking all over a location, sometimes up and down hills and down into creek beds, standing on things to get the angles I want, and zooming with my feet... I can't deal with a tripod. I'd kick myself if I tripped over it or something with my camera attached. I have no experience with a monopod, maybe they're less cumbersome than a full tripod, but I just like to be unrestricted. I can't imagine it's very quick to go from landscape to portrait orientation without smacking those in your general vicinity with a monopod either. hehe

Thanks for all of your thoughts on my n00b-ish question guys, I think I'll try squinting to see if that helps and maybe it's just a matter of getting used to the view finder. :) You guys are the best!

[Outlaw]

Great, real-world questions, Laura!

I chimp openly during shoots, but like Mark, I try to front-load it so I'm just checking lighting and exposure. When I move from one scene to another, I'll shoot some test shots again, chimp again, adjust if necessary and then get back to work. Often I'll use these test shots as a chance to get my clients acting goofy, letting them know they're just test shots. They loosen up, and often, some of the funniest (and most frequently purchased) photos come from these little setup moments.

Get your camera settings right, then focus your attention on your client. Once you're confident in your lighting and exposure, you can work on all the other details that make great portrait magic.

As for ending a session, I try to make it very clear from the start that we're shooting for X amount of time. I like to blame the sun. I'll say, "Alright guys, we've got about an hour of good light to shoot with, so let's get to work. How many outfits are we shooting today? Did you have any specific looks or locations you wanted to get today? The more I know about what you want from today, the better I can keep us on schedule."

Almost always the answer is something along the lines of "We trust you," and I'll suggest scene or outfit changes as we go along, usually every 10-15 minutes. I check my watch now and then, and I let my clients know I'm just making sure we stay on schedule to get everything they want in the shoot.

Keep the focus on them and their wants and needs, and everyone should know when the end of the shoot is nigh. I end almost every shoot with, "I think we've got some really great stuff today. Is there anything else you guys wanted?" God bless it, if there's anything else their heart yearns to shoot, I'll go ahead and shoot it. The more variety I give my clients during the sales session, the more I sell, so I don't mind going an extra 10-15 minutes with a willing and enthusiastic client.

Time can depend on the client, too - some folks are great posers, some aren't; some start the shoot with great expressions and comfort level, others take a lot of work to get there; some really don't want to be doing a photo shoot at all. Solving these problems is a part of the value you bring as a professional photographer.

It takes some time to learn how to read and use cues for progressing and ending a shoot. With some experience, it comes naturally.