Everyone loves getting new equipment. I LOVE getting new equipment. But I learned the HARD way that you never, never, NEVER use it on a new client! All seasoned photographers have learned this one way or another, either by screwing up, or being told by someone beforehand. I WISH I had been told, but oh well. You live, you learn. So for those of you who may be starting out, take this as your warning NEVER a new body, lens, even flash, memory card, or battery without first practicing at home. TEST TEST TEST.
One of my REALLY great friends wanted some Christmas photos of her and her family. I had just bought a new lens that same week. I figured how hard is it to use a new lens? I could use my camera with my eyes closed, so using a new lens shouldn't change that.
We went out to the park. We took some AMAZING, beautiful photos. I got home that night, and downloaded them to my computer. This is the moment I knew something was wrong! I zoomed in close and realized that the images weren't as sharp as I would have liked. They were fine for the typical 5x7, 4x6 and even a 8x10, but any larger, and the image got really pixilated. Of course, these friends had to be the first clients EVER to want a HUGE enlargement. I am not talking about a 11x14 or even a 12x18 I am talking a 20x24 or bigger!!!
I couldn't figure it out. WHY did my photos come out so blurry? I took a closer look at the difference between my two lenses, and found out that my new lens did not have Image Stabilization (IS). The lens I had been using since day one has IS. IS helps with motion blur from you hands moving. It allows you to shoot at one or two more lower shutter speeds (SS), allowing for more light to come in through the lens. I should have increased my SS on my new lens and the pictures would have been just fine. However, I didn't take thee lens out to practice with first. If I had, I would have figured this out BEFORE a shoot w/ a client.
Because I have known this family FOR YEARS, I think they were a little nicer than a client I may not have known. I offered to either redo the shoot we already did, or wait till spring and give them a whole free shoot. This way they can actually get their massive print and hang it on their wall.
So, I decided to go out and play with all of my new equipment this past week. Here are a few of the fun pictures I got. I LOVE the "new to me 5D" and the lenses!!!
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| Miss Reagan! |
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| LOVE the colors int his one. my sleepy baby! |
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| looks like the new camera does well in low light. this is with no flash:-) |
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| testing out the depth of field |
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| Now trying out the new flash. Foster just ignores me now...lol. |
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| another one. looks like my family is getting sick of the camera:-) |
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